News

Hungary: MFRR highly alarmed by Pegasus surveillance revelations

20/07/2021

A leak revealed the use of the Pegasus spyware program against journalists, human rights defenders and lawyers. MFRR partners call the implicated governments, which include the Hungarian government, to immediately stop using the spyware

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Rule of Law Report 2021: OBCT submission for Italy, Croatia and Bulgaria

20/07/2021

The European Commission has published the Rule of Law Report 2021, consisting in the summary of the stakeholders' consultation. OBCT submitted a 13-page report answering questions related to the situation in Italy, Croatia and Bulgaria

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Albania: concern after government ally elected to head the Audiovisual Media Authority

14/07/2021

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) expresses deep concern about the future impartiality and independence of Albania’s Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) following the election of a close associate of the ruling Socialist Party to head the media regulator

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UK: oil firm whistleblower Jonathan Taylor released

08/07/2021

On Wednesday 7 July 2021, the request to extradite Jonathan Taylor has been formally rejected by the Minister of Justice of Croatia. This decision is a victory for the public's right to be informed, as whistleblowers play a vital role in our democracies

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Italy: Access to information law should not override protection of journalistic sources

02/07/2021

On 18 June 2021, the Administrative Court of Lazio (TAR Lazio) ordered the Italian Media Public Broadcaster (RAI) to release documents held by TV Program Report following an access to information request

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Slovenia: a letter to EU Presidents

30/06/2021

MFRR partners shared with Charles Michel, President of the European Council, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, the newly published report "Press Freedom Deteriorating in Slovenia under Latest Janša Government"

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Slovenian government eroding media freedom as it takes over EU Presidency

30/06/2021

As Slovenia will assume the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1, MFRR partners, press freedom organisations and journalism groups release a new report about press freedom deteriorating in the country under Janša Government

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Prison for defamation: a partially good news, the decision of the Italian Constitutional Court

23/06/2021

The MFRR partners welcome the decision of the Italian Constitutional Court but ask for more engagement by the Parliament: a reform of media laws is necessary to protect media freedom in the country

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Women journalists and media workers: MFRR submission to the United Nations Special Rapporteur

16/06/2021

Across Europe, online and offline verbal abuse, threats and harassment disproportionately affect women journalists and media workers. This submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression to inform her thematic report on gender justice considers barriers, challenges and threats that women journalists and media workers face in the exercise of their profession

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Poland: PKN Orlen media purchase violates EU merger rules and media pluralism standards

14/06/2021

MFRR supports ARTICLE 19 legal opinion submitted to Warsaw competition court

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