Republika Srpska, the criminalisation of defamation and the squeeze on media freedom - Article

The parliament of Republika Srpska approved in the first instance a bill to amend the criminal code which reintroduces the crime of defamation. Now sixty days of public debate and then back to the assembly. A dangerous step backwards for freedom of expression 

By Arman Fazlić

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA and BHS

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Journalists organisations call on the National Assembly to reject amendments to the defamation law - Article

OBCT joins MFRR partners in urging the members of the Republika Srpska National Assembly to reject the draft law that aims at reintroducing the criminalisation of defamation in the Criminal Code

SLAPPs in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Article

Also in Bosnia and Herzegovina one of the major obstacles to the exercise of the journalistic profession is represented by the so-called SLAPPs, lawsuits seeking to silence or limit the work of journalists and civil rights activists

By Arman Fazlić

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA and BHS

Nations in Transit 2023, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Freedom House Report - Reports

The report analyses the evolution of the democratic institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2022, taking into account different scores and indicators

Serbia: Protect journalists and denounce death threats against them - Article

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response express deep concerns about the death threats against journalists of the daily independent newspaper Danas

Against SLAPPs, the first European conference - Article

The first European conference for the fight against SLAPPs, also known as gag or reckless complaints, was held in Strasbourg on 20 October, organised by the European Center for Press and Media Freedom and the Coalition against SLAPP in Europe. The report of the event

by Sielke Kelner

Turkey: a call to release Sedef Kabaş - Article

We joined the call of the International Press Institute, signed by other 25 human rights and journalists’ organizations, to ask for the immediate release of journalist Sedef Kabaş following her late-night arrest on January 22 and for an end to the judicial harassment of independent media

CEI SEEMO Award for Outstanding Merits in Investigative Journalism - Article

The focus 2021 of the Award is Covid-19. One virus, many stories: investigative reporting on the socio-economic impact of the global pandemic

Call for Applications for Training in Podcasting - Training

Reporters, editors and producers from six Western Balkans countries are invited to apply for a training in investigative podcasts led by prominent international trainers who produce podcasts for the Reveal and Bellingcat investigative journalism websites. Deadline 14 March 2021

PANDEMIC FOR DIGITAL RIGHTS. Central and Southeast Europe - Reports

The digital rights monitoring that SHARE Foundation has been running since 2014 expanded and included the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) to keep track of incidents in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Romania. This monitoring report covers the period from 31 January to 30 September 2020