Press freedom in Italy: those in power are not to be criticised - Article

In 2021, then opposition leader Giorgia Meloni sued Roberto Saviano for defamation. Last October, the Rome Criminal Court issued a sentence against the Italian writer. A ruling that alarmed Italian and European civil society. We had a conversation about it with Antonio Nobile, Saviano's lawyer

By Sielke Kelner 

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

North Macedonia: Ruling against Investigative Reporting Lab and its editor must be overturned - Article

MFRR and SJN express dismay at judge's decision recommending that ministry shuts down one of the country’s leading investigative journalism platforms

Also available in ITA

Italian civil society organisations take part in parliamentary consultations on defamation reform - Reports

Last month, the Italian anti-SLAPP working group submitted its written contribution to the Justice Commission of the Senate which had opened public consultations on a number of bills designed to amend defamation provisions of the Italian criminal and civil codes

SLAPP in Bulgaria, record claim against Mediapool - Article

A record claim for compensation against Bulgarian online newspaper Mediapool, "guilty" of bringing the problems of the insurance sector to public attention. A trial brings the SLAPP issue back under the spotlight in Bulgaria, between fears and professional solidarity

By Francesco Martino

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA

Italy: a call in support of Roberto Saviano, defendant in a defamation trial - Article

At the conclusion of the first hearing in the proceedings for aggravated defamation initiated by current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni against Roberto Saviano in 2021, we express our solidarity with the Italian journalist for his commitment to the public interest

The key pillars to fight disinformation. A speech by Vera Jourová - Article

On July 7 the Vice-President of the European Commission held a speech at the European Media Conference "Diversity and Responsibility: Media in a Digital Society" organized by the German Federal Government to encourage debate on the issue of safeguarding media pluralism in Europe

The Media Freedom Rapid Response supports Gazeta Wyborcza in Poland who has received over 55 threats of legal action - Article

A contribution of €15,000 has been granted to respond to the unprecedented legal threats  made against Polish newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza to support the outlet’s legal defence. The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a mechanism to monitor and respond to threats against journalists and media workers in EU Member States and Candidate Countries, is a concrete support against SLAPPs

Nations in Transit 2018 – Slovenia Country report - Reports

The "Nations in Transit" Report on Slovenia by Freedom House (2018) provides an overview of the country's democratic institutions, including a section devoted to independent media. This digest focuses on this section

Online harassment of journalists: the trolls attack - Reports

This report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) deals with online mass harassment of journalists by trolls

Vexatious cases hindering investigative journalism in Italy - Legal Resources

Frivolous legal cases against investigative journalists are often deployed as a strategy to silence them, ultimately seeking to hinder their work. A legal analysis on three cases involving defamation charges against Italian journalist Amalia De Simone