The Role of Justice Actors Combatting SLAPPs - Reports

A webinar co-hosted by the American Bar Association Centre for Human Rights and the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers focusing on the role of justice actors – whether prosecutors, judges, lawyers or law firms – in countering or enabling SLAPPs

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

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

The “misuse” of the judicial system to attack freedom of expression: trends, challenges and responses - Reports

The current UNESCO brief explores a number of legal tools which are employed to curb freedom of expression around the world, such as criminal defamation offences; defamation as civil wrong; SLAPPs

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

Saving the News - Why the Constitution Calls for Government Action to Preserve Freedom of Speech - Books

American legal scholar Martha Minow poses timely questions related to the need of government support aimed at ensuring the independence and vitality of the free press

​German Ban on Leftist Internet Platform Violates Media Freedom - Legal Resources

The Society for Civil Rights has submitted a Brief as a "friend of the court" on the ban of left-wing portal linksunten.indymedia. The ban is crucial for media freedom in Germany

Challenges to Media Freedom: A view from Europe - Academic Sources

Drawing on the findings of two projects awarded by the European Commission, the paper examines the sources of the threats hindering media freedom in Europe

The Platform Press: how Silicon Valley reengineered journalism - Reports

A report on the influence of social media platforms and technology companies on American journalism highlights the clashes and trade-offs between growth, autonomy, and quality for the profession worldwide

In the Service of Power: Media Capture and the Threat to Democracy - Books

This volume collects papers presented at a conference hosted by the Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and is “the first of its kind” to explore “how political figures and economic elites are colluding to undermine the independence of privately-owned news media”