Poland: New president urged to commit to press freedom reforms - Article

Following the victory of Karol Nawrocki in Poland’s presidential election on 1 June, the undersigned media freedom organisations today call on the president elect to commit to building a cross-party consensus required to bolster press freedom and strengthen Polish democracy

Hungary: Foreign funding bill poses most serious threat to independent media in years - Article

OBCT joins MFRR partners in urging the EU to take action against Hungary’s proposed foreign funding bill, which poses a serious threat to freedom of expression and media freedom

MFRR Monitoring Report 2024 - Article

The latest annual Monitoring Report analyses the press freedom situation in 35 European countries, including the 27 EU Member States and nine countries with EU candidate status. Between January and December 2024, Mapping Media Freedom documented 1,548 press freedom violations targeting 2,567 media-related persons or entities – an alarming increase compared to the 1,153 violations recorded in 2023

Media Freedom organisations call for action as press freedom violations surge in Turkey in 2025 - Article

The undersigned press freedom, freedom of expression, human rights, and journalists’ organisations, and media outlets, express serious concern over the recent escalation of press freedom violations in Turkey, marking a troubling start to the new year. The frequent use of arbitrary arrests, detentions, judicial control measures, and convictions poses an existential threat to independent media, democratic discourse, and fundamental human rights in the country

Trentino, journalism and gag complaints - Article

Between announced complaints and warnings, we heard from 4 newspaper editors, the union and an investigative journalist. First part of an investigation into the SLAPP phenomenon in Trentino

By Paola Rosà

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA.

Open letter to Mr. Albin Kurti, President of Vetevendosje Movement and Prime Minister of Kosovo - Article

The undersigned media freedom organisations express concern about the decision of the Vetevendosje party to boycott some mainstream TV channels during the election period in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Albin Kurti

Self-defence against SLAPPs in Serbia - Article

In Serbia, the investigative newspaper KRIK is the target of frequent legal harassment. To counteract it, the editorial team has developed strategies based on civil society solidarity, public denunciation and monitoring of trials

By Massimo Moratti

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA.

Albania, media trapped in a triangle of pressure - Article

Journalists across Europe are often subjected to subtle forms of pressure and intimidation, including vexatious lawsuits frequently initiated by influential politicians or businesspeople. Blerjana Bino, Executive Director of SCiDEV and Researcher at the SafeJournalists Network, provides insight into the situation in the country

By Serena Epis

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

Montenegro: MFRR partners call for the perpetrators of the attack on journalist Ana Raičković to be held accountable - Article

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners strongly condemn the verbal and physical attack on Ana Raičković, editor of the daily "Pobjeda", as well as the attack on her family members

Addressing Key Challenges to Media Freedom in Albania and Serbia - Article

To contribute to the European Commission’s Rule of Law monitoring, OBCT, in partnership with SCiDEV and IJAS, produced two Shadow Reports outlining the challenges and gaps in media freedom in Albania and Serbia. The main findings were presented during a webinar

By Serena Epis, Sukanya Sengupta

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA