The Rule of Law Mechanism: a safeguard to media freedom in the EU? - Training

In its Rule of Law Report 2023 the European Commission acknowledges that media freedom remains a sector of concern in many member states. How can the Rule of Law Mechanism contribute to the safeguard of free and independent media in the EU? We will discuss it in a webinar with journalists and experts from Italy, Croatia and Poland

Greece: Swift investigations required after two attacks against journalists - Article

OBCT joins journalists’ and media freedom organisations in condemning recent attacks to Greek journalists Giorgos Papachristos and Kostas Vaxevanis

Media, politics, and vexatious lawsuits - An Italian perspective - HTML5 video

An excerpt from the 2023 MFRR Summit dedicated to “Press Freedom on the Line” - which took place from the 29 to the 31 of March dedicated to the spreading of the SLAPP phenomenon in Italy. Recently, Italy has drawn the attention of several international organisations working on media freedom. A cause for concern is the rapid succession of defamation lawsuits and subsequent legal proceedings against Italian journalists and intellectuals brought up by politicians and high-ranking public figures. By exploring the case study of Italian newspaper Domani – which in a matter of months has been respectively threatened to be sued and sued by two high profile public figures – the discussion focused on defamation, SLAPPs, and the challenges Italian media face when reporting on public figures.

European Media Freedom Act: the end of source confidentiality? - Article

The new European regulation aims to protect the secrecy of journalistic sources, the key concept at the heart of journalism, but actually risks legitimising its systematic violation

By Dimitri Bettoni

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

Serbia, little security for online journalists - Article

A recent report by the Association of Independent Journalists of Serbia together with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network analyses the problems concerning the safety of journalists on the web, looking at the specific case of Serbia, and suggests how to make the editorial environment less dangerous

By Ettore Morello

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

Kosovo: Media freedom groups welcome Klan Kosova court injunction decision - Article

OBCT joins international media freedom organisations in welcoming the decision of the Kosovar Commercial Court blocking the suspension of Klan Kosova business licence 

Croatia, the new media bill is dangerous - Article

“I don't know who wrote this bill, but I suspect that the main intention was to divide the Croatian media, creating havoc in the sector”, said Hrvoje Zovko, the president of the Association of Croatian Journalists (HND). We met him in Zagreb

By Giovanni Vale

Originally pubblished by OBCT. Also available in ITA and BHS

Turkey: International and local groups condemn detention of journalists in Ankara, Diyarbakır, İstanbul and İzmir - Article

OBCT joins 38 international organisations and calls on authorities to stop systematic detention of journalists in Turkey

BiH: Republika Srpska reintroduces the crime of defamation - Article

On Thursday 20 July, the People's Assembly of the Republika Srpska adopted the Law on Amendments to the Crimial Code envisaging criminalization of defamation. Calls from international and local actors to protect freedom of speech and withdraw the scandalous provision that qualifies defamation as a criminal offense have gone unheeded

By Arman Fazlić

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA and BHS

SLAPPs: A threat to democracy continues to grow – A 2023 report update - Reports

The 2023 report dedicated to examining the SLAPP phenomenon across Europe has been release by The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation on behalf of the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe