WPFD 2024: Media freedom groups sound the alarm over press freedom in Europe - Article

On WPFD, OBCT joins MFRR partners in drawing the attention to the more than 1,000 media freedom violations recorded in past year 

Murdered, surveilled and sued: decisive action needed to protect journalists and salvage press freedom in Greece - Article

Greek journalism is under sustained threat from the impact of the surveillance scandal “Predatorgate”, the unresolved killing of a reporter, abusive legal action and economic and political pressures. Following a mission to Athens, eight international organisations today call on the Government and Prime Minister to show political courage and urgently take specific measures aimed at improving the climate for independent journalism and salvaging press freedom

Media-Democracy Nexus in the European Space - Article

OBC Transeuropa, in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Paris, France - Italy and with the support of Federazione Nazionale Stampa Italiana and Consiglio Nazionale Ordine dei giornalisti is organising an international conference dedicated to the rule of law, media freedom, and democracy. The event will take place on the 17th of October 2023 at the premises of the Association of Foreign Press in Italy, Rome. 

Cyprus: Call for thorough investigations into surveillance of Makarios Drousiotis - Article

OBC Transeuropa and other media advocacy organisations sent a letter to the Cypriot authorities, amid the lack of adequate investigations into the alleged surveillance of journalist Makarios Drousiotis.

Surveillance: after Pegasus and Predator, the EU is (slowly) taking action - Article

While the European Parliament's Commission enquires on the various states where surveillance technologies have been commercialised despite the bans, the emphasis remains on civil society and digital security.

Interview with Lorenzo Bagnoli of IrpiMedia

by Paola Rosà

Originally published by OBCT . Also available in ITA

Surveying the landscape - Initiatives to counter spyware - HTML5 video

Within the context of the 2023 MFRR Summit dedicated to “Press Freedom on the Line” - which took place from the 29 to the 31 of March - this discussion explored the strengths and weaknesses of the current draft of Article 4 of the EMFA, through a comparative analysis of the existing independent authorities that the article requires member states to designate, in order to deal with complaints about breaches of provisions of the article itself. The lack of judicial ex-ante evaluation mechanisms were discussed as a key missing element which has attracted much criticism from media-focused NGOs and civil society organisations which have been called upon to provide feedback by the Commission.

European Media Freedom Act: the end of source confidentiality? - Article

The new European regulation aims to protect the secrecy of journalistic sources, the key concept at the heart of journalism, but actually risks legitimising its systematic violation

By Dimitri Bettoni

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

Civic Intelligence Oversight: Practitioners’ Perspectives in France, Germany, and the UK - Reports

The article explores the forms of civic engagement and oversight holding intelligence agencies to account, counteracting the primacy of security and the secrecy of intelligence, with a focus on journalism and NGOs

Fieldwork Under Surveillance: A Research Note - Reports

Ethical and methodological challenges of conducting research “under surveillance”

PEGA Committee final report - Reports

The conclusive report of the PEGA Committee from the European Parliamenton the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware in the EU