Media freedom groups call for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia and press safety in Malta - Article

OBCT joins international organizations in calling for Maltese authorities to bring to justice those responsible for Daphne Caruana Galizia's killing

For a transnational anti-SLAPP network: countering gags on public participation - Reports

On October 16, 2023, the first public event of CASE Italia dedicated to countering SLAPPs took place in Rome. Speakers included journalists, activists, experts in the field, and representatives of a range of organisations advocating for freedom of expression

Italy: Roberto Saviano's conviction a major blow to free expression - Article

OBCT joins international media freedom, free expression, and journalist organisations in expressing shock over criminal conviction of the Italian writer

Also available in ITA

For a transnational anti-SLAPP network: countering gags on public participation - Article

On October 16, 2023, the first public event of CASE Italia dedicated to countering SLAPPs will take place in Rome. Speakers include journalists, activists, experts in the field, and representatives of a range of organisations advocating for freedom of expression

Programme available in ITA

Media, politics, and vexatious lawsuits - An Italian perspective - HTML5 video

An excerpt from the 2023 MFRR Summit dedicated to “Press Freedom on the Line” - which took place from the 29 to the 31 of March dedicated to the spreading of the SLAPP phenomenon in Italy. Recently, Italy has drawn the attention of several international organisations working on media freedom. A cause for concern is the rapid succession of defamation lawsuits and subsequent legal proceedings against Italian journalists and intellectuals brought up by politicians and high-ranking public figures. By exploring the case study of Italian newspaper Domani – which in a matter of months has been respectively threatened to be sued and sued by two high profile public figures – the discussion focused on defamation, SLAPPs, and the challenges Italian media face when reporting on public figures.

BiH: Republika Srpska reintroduces the crime of defamation - Article

On Thursday 20 July, the People's Assembly of the Republika Srpska adopted the Law on Amendments to the Crimial Code envisaging criminalization of defamation. Calls from international and local actors to protect freedom of speech and withdraw the scandalous provision that qualifies defamation as a criminal offense have gone unheeded

By Arman Fazlić

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA and BHS

SLAPPs: A threat to democracy continues to grow – A 2023 report update - Reports

The 2023 report dedicated to examining the SLAPP phenomenon across Europe has been release by The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation on behalf of the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe

Letter to the Italian Justice Minister - Article

The Italian anti-SLAPP WG joins CASE in a transnational Day of Action against SLAPPs, calling on the Italian Minister of Justice for a concrete commitment during the EU trialogue negotiations, scheduled to start on July, 12

Also available in ITA

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