Serbia: media independence is an exception rather than the rule - Article

Increasing political and financial pressure threatens the independence and editorial autonomy of many media outlets in Serbia. We interviewed Irina Milutinović, Senior Research Associate at the Institute of European Studies in Belgrade and co-author of the Country Report on Serbia of the Media Pluralism Monitor 2023

By Serena Epis

Originally published on OBCT , also available in ITA

European Commission study on journalist safety lacks solutions while security deteriorates - Article

Media freedom groups highlight disconnect between report findings and ground realities

Uncovering news deserts in Europe: Risks and opportunities for local and community media in the EU - Reports

The research is focused on detecting challenges and opportunities for local and community media and identifying "news deserts" in the 27 EU Member States.

Ukraine: MFRR partners highlight ongoing press freedom issues - Article

MFRR partners today highlight ongoing press freedom concerns in Ukraine, over two years following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. While Ukraine was at first quick to unite in the face of armed aggression, setting aside internal conflicts and arguments, the climate of trust between officials and independent media seems to have seriously deteriorated, two years on

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

Safety of Journalists Behind the Headlines: Threats, Attacks, and Pressure on Journalists in Serbia - Reports

The report shows results from a research project  jointly funded the Council of Europe and European Union, conducted in collaboration with the Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) and the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS)

Georgia: MFRR partners denounce smear campaign against journalist by speaker of the Parliament - Article

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today express concern at the discrediting of a prominent Georgian journalist by Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Georgian Parliament. The comments come amid a broader wave of smear campaigns against independent media in Georgia by Papuashvili and others

Safeguarding women journalists in the digital age - Article

On International Women’s Day, MFRR coalition partners publish a critical examination of attacks against women journalists in the European Union and candidate countries

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.

The Anti-SLAPP Directive creates a promising minimum standard for Member States - Article

The Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE ) welcomes the adoption of the Anti-SLAPP Directive  in the European Parliament in today’s plenary vote. This directive sets the minimum standards  for protecting public watchdogs against abusive litigation in the form of SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation)