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News related to press and media freedom

Poland: Recommendations for democratic reform for press freedom and public media

16/01/2024

OBCT joins MFRR partners in renewing their recommendations to the new Polish government to improve the media freedom situation in the country in line with democratic values and the rule of law

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Croatia, the assault on the local press

12/01/2024

2024 is the year of elections for Croatia: European, political and presidential elections will take place between next June and December. And with the electoral competitions, the race for control of the local media, particularly the regional ones, is gaining ground in a hardly transparent way

By Giovanni Vale

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA and BHS

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Albania: SPAK must respect source protection in case of journalist Elton Qyno

10/01/2024

OBCT signs a joint letter together with media freedom partners in the SafeJournalists Network, the Media Freedom Rapid Response, and Reporters Without Borders addressed to the head of the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) to raise concerns over the recent attempts to reveal the source of Albanian journalist Elton Qyno

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Hungary: Draft Sovereignty Protection Act poses fresh threat to independent media

04/12/2023

OBCT joins MFRR partners in drawing the attention of the European Union about the chilling impact of the new Hungarian bill on independent media

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Anti-SLAPP campaigners from across Europe stand in solidarity with the Russian dissident authors after an injunction was secured against their publ...

24/11/2023

Free expression organisations express their concern regarding the legal harassment of Russian émigrés investigative journalists

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North Macedonia: Ruling against Investigative Reporting Lab and its editor must be overturned

24/11/2023

MFRR and SJN express dismay at judge's decision recommending that ministry shuts down one of the country’s leading investigative journalism platforms

Also available in ITA

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Bosnia and Herzegovina: Republika Srpska president Dodik verbally attacks journalist

22/11/2023

OBCT joins partner organisations of the MFRR and South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) in condemning Milorad Dodik's verbal attacks and threats against N1 journalist Snezana Mitrović

Also available in ITA

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Italy: MFRR partners condemn summons of RAI presenter Sigfrido Ranucci

15/11/2023

OBCT, together with MFRR parteners, condemns the summoning of RAI presenter Sigfrido Ranucci by the Parliamentary Committee and urges the Italian Parliament to guarantee RAI independence

Also available in ITA

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Netherlands: Vexatious lawsuit against Het Financieele Dagblad condemned

13/11/2023

OBCT joins the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) in deploring the lawsuit against Dutch daily newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad (FD) and in expressing solidarity with the FD and its journalists. The case, of which the hearing will take place on 13 November 2023, is a clear attempt to silence and discourage Het Financieele Dagblad and its journalists from further reporting

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Open letter: “We refuse to let the anti-SLAPP directive be a missed opportunity”

08/11/2023

OBCT joins international organisations in calling for robust anti-SLAPP Directive

Also available in ITA

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