News

Hungary: Media freedom groups welcome EU court referral over Klubrádió frequency

19/07/2022

Move by EU Commission is belated but important signal it will use legal toolbox to defend independent media

Greece: Real Group media offices targeted in arson attack

14/07/2022

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today join the Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN) in condemning the arson attack on the offices of newspaper Real News and the radio station Real FM in Athens on 13 July 2022

Synergies and training are needed against SLAPP, or gag complaints

08/07/2022

Media expert lawyer Andrea Di Pietro positively comments on the anti-SLAPP package of the European Commission and stresses the need for training initiatives aimed at legal practitioners, to recognise and combat the gag complaints that threaten freedom of expression and the right of citizens to participate in the public debate

by Paola Rosà

Albania: Letter to Prime Minister Edi Rama from international press freedom organisations

07/07/2022

OBCT signed a letter addressed to Albanian PM Edi Rama in protest against a decision to ban journalists from attending press conferences after they asked challenging questions. Such an arbitrary restriction seriously affects the ability of the press to carry out its watchdog role. Albanian translation is available below

Greece: MFRR partners welcome acquittal of journalists in Novartis criminal case

01/07/2022

Criminal case points to far deeper issues for press freedom in Greece

Netherlands: Press freedom organisations welcome policy debate on media freedom and journalists’ safety

01/07/2022

MFRR partners, Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists welcome a letter from the Dutch Government proposing a policy approach on the protection of journalists and media freedom

Maja Sever, the first woman to lead the EFJ

01/07/2022

Quickly resolving the economic issue relating to journalists, fighting harder against SLAPPs or gag complaints, using the rule of law to improve media conditions. These are the keywords of Maja Sever, the first woman to lead the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

by Giovanni Vale

A joint statement on the European Media Freedom Act

30/06/2022

Along with 17 organisations, OBCT signs a joint statement to address issues around the forthcoming draft proposal for a European Media Freedom Act

A letter to the incoming Czech Presidency on the European Media Freedom Act

30/06/2022

Ahead of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, we signed a letter to the Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala regarding the forthcoming European Media Freedom Act

Romania: a joint letter on the case of Emilia Șercan

28/06/2022

OBCT joins a group of media freedom organisations in a letter to Romanian authorities concerning the case of Emilia Șercan. We express our concern about the delay in the investigations into the publication of her stolen photos and the alleged leak of key elements of the investigation into this offense. Romanian translation is available below