Slovenia: Media freedom groups back legislative efforts to depoliticise public media - Article

We welcome the initiative of the Slovenian coalition government to reduce the influence of politics over RTV SLO. The draft proposal is an important first step towards the depoliticisation of the broadcaster

Gag lawsuits, an anti-SLAPP shield is coming - Article

OCCRP, the transnational investigative journalism platform against crime and corruption, has devised a system to prevent lawsuits, prevent self-censorship, and defend journalists from gag lawsuits – an actual shield in defence of reporters. Drew Sullivan, co-founder of OCCRP, explains it to us

By Paola Rosà

Slovakia: Deputy PM’s attacks undermined government’s broader efforts to strengthen press freedom - Article

Media freedom groups express dismay over the recent attempts by deputy Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovič to denigrate the country’s media

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

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

Hungary: Media freedom groups welcome EU court referral over Klubrádió frequency - Article

Move by EU Commission is belated but important signal it will use legal toolbox to defend independent media

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

Poland: journalist’s criminal defamation conviction may further impair freedom of expression - Article

MFRR partners stand in solidarity with Polityka journalist Ewa Siedlecka, who has been convicted of criminal defamation. Amid the ongoing erosion of media freedom in Poland, there is a justified fear that this verdict might pave the way for a wider criminalisation of expressing an opinion based on information present in the public space

Croatia: MFRR partners concerned about wave of abusive legal actions against Index.hr - Article

MFRR partners condemn the wave of abusive legal actions filed against Index.hr, many of which used by powerful individuals as a means of silencing critical expression

Slovenia: MFRR dismayed by Prime Minister Janša’s denigrating tweet - Article

MFRR partners call on Prime Minister Janez Janša to cease denigrating Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, and her recent memorandum on freedom of expression and media freedom in Slovenia