Netherlands: Press freedom groups concerned about video with hostile rhetoric by Dutch politician against political reporter - Article

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and its partners express today their concerns about hostile rhetoric used against an independent journalist by Dutch political party Forum for Democracy (FvD). Such problematic language creates an intimidating climate for public interest journalism, normalises both online and physical targeting of the press, and can lead to self-censorship amongst the journalistic community. We urge the FvD to put an end to its dangerous smear campaign against independent media

Turkey: International delegation condemns passage of disinformation law and calls for protection of journalists ahead of 2023 elections - Article

This week, seven media freedom, journalism, and human rights organisations met with key stakeholders in Turkey to discuss Turkey’s media freedom crisis

Greece: Full scale of surveillance on journalists must be unearthed - Article

MFRR partners back calls for the testing of mobile devices belonging to journalists in Greece who suspect they may have been targets of surveillance. The recent scandals require full transparency and accountability, and have underscored deepening concerns about the erosion of media freedom under the New Democracy government

International Press Freedom Groups Condemn Turkey Disinformation Bill Placed before Parliament - Article

Twenty five international organisations call on Members of Parliament to vote against the bill on “disinformation and fake news”, a law designed to criminalise the free flow of information. Turkish translation available below

Democratic Values in the Digital Age Series: Strengthening Media Pluralism and Freedoms - Article

Media freedom and media pluralism are essential to our democracies and are enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights. How can we safeguard media freedom and pluralism in the current digital environment? A conference organised by UCD Centre for Digital Policy

Call for Italian political forces to take a stand against SLAPPs, a ‘slap’ in the face of freedom of information - Article

The right of citizens to be informed about matters of public interest and of journalists to write freely about them cannot and must not be hindered by SLAPPs. Civil society's appeal to the future parliament to promote measures to contrast strategic lawsuits

Also available ITA

Joint Statement on the Proposal for the European Media Freedom Act - Article

We co-signed a statement welcoming the European Commission's commitment to protect journalists and editorial independence within the EU

Albania: Press freedom groups call for a fair trial in defamation lawsuit by former top prosecutor against Isa Myzyraj - Article

The defamation case filed against journalist Isa Myzyraj by a former Tirana's prosecutor raises our concerns. MFRR and media freedom organisations call for a fair trial in which the importance of free speech and public interest reporting is appropriately considered

Case Law, EU: RT France v. Council: General Court finds ban on Russia Today not a violation of the right to freedom of expression - Legal Resources

Throughout this article, Ronan Ó Fathaigh and Dirk Voorhoof, both legal scholars with expertise in freedom of expression, examine the decision of the General Court of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the case RT France v. Council

Serbia: REM’s awarding of TV licences underscores media pluralism and media diversity failure - Article

The decision made by the Serbia’s Regulatory Body for Electronic Media to award four national FTA TV licences to pro-government outlets perpetuates a deeply unbalanced commercial broadcast media market and is another example of the authority’s failure to protect media diversity and pluralism in Serbia