Slavko Ćuruvija: Cycle of impunity for killing of journalists in Serbia must be broken - Article

Partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) renew their call for justice for the assassination of Serbian journalist Slavko Ćuruvija to finally be secured and the cycle of impunity for the killings of journalists in Serbia to be broken

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

Call on Turkish authorities to abstain from further restrictions on media in the aftermath of devastating earthquakes - Article

The undersigned partners in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) express their condolences with the victims of the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and reiterate the need for a free media atmosphere as a crucial element of all disaster relief processes

Italy: Newspaper Domani sued for defamation by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni - Article

At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing in the proceedings for aggravated defamation initiated by current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni against Emiliano Fittipaldi and Stefano Feltri, respectively correspondent and editor of the daily national newspaper “Domani”, we call on Prime Minister Meloni to withdraw the defamation lawsuit and to initiate a reform process targeting defamation laws in the country

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

Romania: the interference of parties in the media - Article

A recent report by the Council of Europe exposes the flow of money that goes from political parties to the media in Romania, and the consequent subordination

by Mihaela Iordache

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