Italy: wiretapping of journalists reporting on migration must be investigated - Article

The Media Freedom Rapid Response and partner organisations welcome the launch of an investigation into the wiretapping of journalists and their sources in Sicily. However, a robust, swift and systematic investigation will be essential for rebuilding trust and ensuring that all journalists, sources and legal professionals in Italy are protected

Open Letter to Croatian Minister of Justice to free whistleblower Jonathan Taylor - Article

Arrested last July, the British lawyer is still in Croatia at risk of extradiction to Monaco. The MFRR partners and several ngos ask Croatia to protect him

MFRR raises concerns over increasing meddling in independence of Czech public broadcaster - Article

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) express their serious concern over the latest efforts by the ruling ANO party and its allies to further politicise the oversight body of the Czech public broadcaster.

We are worried that the slow-motion yet obvious efforts to stack the Council of the Czech TV (ČT Council) are ultimately aimed at the erosion of the public television’s independence and politically-motivated realignment of its news and opinion programming

Thematic factsheet: SLAPP in Italy, a democratic emergency - Article

by Paola Rosà

A limited selection of cases from an ocean of lawsuits. A paper sent to the INI rapporteurs of the Draft Report on the strengthening democracy and media freedom and pluralism in the EU: the undue use of actions under civil and criminal law to silence journalists, NGOs and civil society

Country factsheet: Croatia - Article

A picture made of mixed colours and political interference: this is the landscape in Croatia under the lens of media freedom according to several monitoring tools

Czech Republic: concern over independence of public service media - Article

The MFRR partners have sent a letter to the members of the Czech Parliament regarding the politicisation of the Council of the Czech TV (Česká Televize, CT)

Media Freedom in Poland, Hungary and Slovenia - Article

Statement to Members of the European Parliament ahead of the March 10 debate: ‘Government's attempt to silence free media in Poland and in Hungary’. The partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response sent this letter:

Country factsheet: Bulgaria - Article

Called "the black sheep of EU media freedom", Bulgaria faces a lot of issues related to freedom of expression and safety of journalists. Here a detailed overview made by OBCT journalist Francesco Martino, who lives in Sofia

EU Initiative: Include Hate Speech and Hate Crimes in the list of EU crimes - Article

The EU Commission is asking stakeholders to provide their feedbak on the scale, nature and impact of the types of hate speech and hate crime under consideration. Deadline 20 April

Hungary: MFRR condemns decision by Budapest court to reject temporary license extension to Klubrádió - Article

MFRR partners share their concerns over the 4th February decision by a court in Budapest to reject the temporary license extension to Klubrádió in Hungary, warning it will have far-reaching implications for what remains of media pluralism and independent journalism in the country