Albania: Letter to Prime Minister Edi Rama from international press freedom organisations - Article

OBCT signed a letter addressed to Albanian PM Edi Rama in protest against a decision to ban journalists from attending press conferences after they asked challenging questions. Such an arbitrary restriction seriously affects the ability of the press to carry out its watchdog role. Albanian translation is available below

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

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

Freedom on the Net 2021 - Reports

The yearly report by Freedom House confirms that the global internet freedom has declined for the 11th consecutive year

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:

Turkey: ECPMF highly concerned about arrests of Mezopotamya Agency reporters - Article

The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) is highly concerned over the detention and arrest of four reporters in the southeast of Turkey, on 17 December 2020. We call for their immediate and unconditional release. We condemn the continued persecution against the outlet as this is the third incident to take place in as many months

EP Resolution: Strengthening Media Freedom: the Protection of Journalists in Europe, Hate Speech, Disinformation and the Role of Platforms - Legal Resources

European Parliament resolution of 25 November 2020 on strengthening media freedom: the protection of journalists in Europe, hate speech, disinformation and the role of platforms (2020/2009(INI)). On 25 November 2020 the European Parliament adopted a very important resolution tackling many aspects of media freedom

A call on UK authorities to intervene on behalf of whistleblower Jonathan Taylor, stuck in Croatia - Article

This letter was sent electronically to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and First Secretary of State, Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP

The first MFRR-report documents severe threats to media freedom - Article

During the first four months, the project has seen a wide range of threats against media freedom in Europe. Few countries are spared: two-thirds have had at least one violation of media freedom since the beginning of March. Main reasons were the impact of Covid-19 crisis, police violence and online harassment

Serbia: authorities launched a financial investigation into journalists, media and civil society organisations - Article

Article 19, as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response, expresses concern for a financial probe launched by Serbian authorities. The investigation could be an abuse of legal mechanism in order to exert pressure on the critical voices