Italy: call in support of Roberto Saviano, defendant in a SLAPP case initiated by PM Giorgia Meloni - Article

Following the fourth hearing in the SLAPP case initiated by PM Giorgia Meloni against Roberto Saviano, OBCT joins media and journalists' freedom organisations in expressing solidarity with the Italian writer

Also available in ITA

Open letter to the European Commission: e-influence mercenaries operating in the EU undermine access to information - Article

Media outlets, journalists’ and press freedom organisations troubled with abusive practices of some reputation management companies operating in the European Union

Sara Manisera: the challenges of investigative journalism - Article

Investigative journalists, in addition to the risks of the trade, often incur libel lawsuits, SLAPPs, etc.. Especially if, like Sara Manisera, they deal with sensitive issues such as organised crime. We interviewed her

By Sielke Kelner

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA

Serbia: Legal harassment of investigative media outlet KRIK must stop - Article

OBCT joins international press freedom and journalists’ organisations in expressing solidarity with Serbian media outlet KRIK, whose newsroom is continuously subjected to legal harassment

SLAPPs in Serbia: Bojana Jovanović on the burden of SLAPPs on independent investigative journalism and the public discourse - HTML5 video

Recorded at the margins of the panel co-organized by ARTICLE 19 Europe and Osservatorio dei Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response and the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) for the #ijf23 in Perugia, Italy.

Italian civil society organisations take part in parliamentary consultations on defamation reform - Reports

Last month, the Italian anti-SLAPP working group submitted its written contribution to the Justice Commission of the Senate which had opened public consultations on a number of bills designed to amend defamation provisions of the Italian criminal and civil codes

How are courts responding to SLAPPs? Analysis of selected court decisions from across the globe - Reports

This study analyses the threats deriving from vexatious lawsuits against journalists, civil society, and human rights defenders, and highlights the role of courts in providing protection against SLAPPs in contexts that lack dedicated legislation

Bulgaria: Investigative journalists hit by smears and lawsuits after corruption revelations - Article

OBCT joins MFRR partners in expressing concern about legal pressure exerted against two of Bulgaria’s leading investigative media platforms

SLAPPs against the media in Europe: is the EU response sufficient and what remains to be done? - Reports

Panel co-organized by ARTICLE 19 and OBC Transeuropa, as partner of Media Freedom Rapid Response Mechanism, within the 2023 International Journalism Festival  of Perugia

Greece: MFRR to fund legal appeal for lawsuit against Alterthess - Article

OBCT joins MFRR partners in expressing dismay over the recent court ruling involving a SLAPP lawsuit against Greek media outlet Alterthess and one of its journalists, Stavroula Poulimeni. Given the dangerous consequences that such a legal precedent could have, MFRR organisations have decided to provide funding to cover legal fees for their appeal