Temporary Relocations. A toolkit - Article

This summary of issues, open questions, recommendations, and suggestions on how to implement a residency programme for journalists under pressure is the result of OBCT research consulting existing literature and conducting several interviews with managers and beneficiaries. This 10-page document goes through the main aspects of the implementation of a journalists-in-residence programme, highlighting 19 issues that are considered to be the most problematic and interesting at the same time. The toolkit is also accessible as a pdf.

Curated by Paola Rosà, May 2022

Who is afraid of journalists? The MFRR Italy Mission Report - Article

The collection of findings and recommendations by the partners of the MFRR, in a booklet curated by OBCT.

Following the MFRR Italy Mission from 4 to 6 April, coordinated by OBCT, the conclusions about SLAPP, defamation and safety of journalists are published here

Spain: Energy company launches €17.6 million SLAPP lawsuit against El Confidencial - Article

MFRR partners condemn the vexatious SLAPP lawsuit against the newspaper El Confidencial by the Spanish electricity company Iberdrola, which is claiming €17.6 million for alleged “reputational damage”. The MFRR partners see the lawsuit as another example of the urgent need for the introduction of anti-SLAPP legislation at the EU and national levels and reform of the current legal provisions on protection of honour and reputation in line with international freedom of expression standards

Netherlands: International mission on the safety of Dutch journalists - Article

As part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), Free Press Unlimited (FPU) and the European Center for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) are organising an international media freedom mission to the Netherlands. With the mission, the consortium members want to map the decreasing security of journalists in the country, but also highlight the existence of security mechanisms for journalists such as the PersVeilig (Press Safe) established in 2019. The mission will be held at the beginning of 2022

MFRR to hold press freedom mission to Greece - Article

The Media Freedom Rapid Response will hold an online fact-finding mission to Greece in the first half of December to assess increasing concerns about media freedom and the safety of journalists in the country

CIVIL SOCIETY STATEMENT On the firing of UN human rights whistleblower Emma Reilly - Article

Together with other 39 organizations, OBCT co-signed a statement in support of whistleblower Emma Reilly, a few days after she was fired by the UN

British journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown may be arrested in Spain following threats by the Malaysian government - Article

We co-signed a letter calling on INTERPOL to clarify its involvement in the arrest warrant issued against British journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown amid fears she may be arrested in Spain following threats by the Malaysian government

A whistleblower at the United Nations: an open letter to protect her - Article

OBCT co-signed the letter by Transparency International Macedonia to United Nations Secretary-General Guterres: we demand protection for the whistleblower Emma Reilly who received the communication that her protected whistleblower status had been removed

Disturbing pattern of violence and harassment at COVID-related protests across Europe - Article

Attacks of journalists by protesters at demonstrations are increasing across Europe, and the MFRR highlights both single cases and the common pattern behind them

Urgent letter to Croatian Minister of Justice: Do not extradite Whistleblower Jonathan Taylor - Article

Together with WIN (Whistleblowing international network), we co-signed a letter to the Croatian Minister of Justice