Free expression organisations in solidarity with the award-winning artist and human rights defender Badiucao - Article

More than 40 organisations from around the world stand in solidarity with the award-winning Chinese-Australian political cartoonist, artist and human rights defender Badiucao as he faces legal harassment in relation to his protest art

Condemnation of legal threats against Danwatch by Ingosstrakh and ELWI - Article

OBCT joins free expression organizations in denouncing legal threats issued by a Moscow-based law firm against the Danish investigative media outlet Danwatch

International organisations call on the EU to act against Israel’s killings of Palestinian journalists - Article

OBCT joins 59 other organizations in condemning Israeli authorities’ killings of Palestinian journalists, and calling for the suspension of EU-Israel Association Agreement and further EU targeted sanctions

Türkiye: Big tech should protect free speech and resist state censorship - Article

Ahead of Türkiye’s municipal elections on 31 March 2024, 22 rights groups and journalists’ organisations jointly call on social media platforms to uphold the free expression rights of their users and resist state censorship. They should also fully disclose all government requests to restrict accounts or content, and be transparent about informal government pressure to restrict content on their platforms.

Netherlands: Vexatious lawsuit against Het Financieele Dagblad condemned - Article

OBCT joins the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) in deploring the lawsuit against Dutch daily newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad (FD) and in expressing solidarity with the FD and its journalists. The case, of which the hearing will take place on 13 November 2023, is a clear attempt to silence and discourage Het Financieele Dagblad and its journalists from further reporting

Media pluralism in a legal limbo in Serbia - Article

The allocation of national broadcasting frequencies in Serbia highlights the lack of transparency and pluralism in the sector. Frequencies are only awarded to government-friendly media. Concerns have been expressed by both the European Commission and the European Parliament

By Massimo Moratti

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA

Republika Srpska, the criminalisation of defamation and the squeeze on media freedom - Article

The parliament of Republika Srpska approved in the first instance a bill to amend the criminal code which reintroduces the crime of defamation. Now sixty days of public debate and then back to the assembly. A dangerous step backwards for freedom of expression 

By Arman Fazlić

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA and BHS

Against SLAPPs, the first European conference - Article

The first European conference for the fight against SLAPPs, also known as gag or reckless complaints, was held in Strasbourg on 20 October, organised by the European Center for Press and Media Freedom and the Coalition against SLAPP in Europe. The report of the event

by Sielke Kelner

Greece: Letter to Grigoris Dimitriadis, SLAPP Politician of the Year - Article

In this letter to the former general secretary of Greek Prime Minister's office, MFRR partners express concern about defamation claims filed against investigative journalists and media outlets

2022 World Press Freedom Index - Monitoring tool

The 2022 edition of the World Press Freedom Index developed by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) assesses the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories