SafeJournalists Network and Media Freedom Rapid Response: TikTok ban in Albania threatens freedom of expression ahead of general elections - Article

SafeJournalists Network (SJN), the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners, and civil society organizations express serious concern regarding the Albanian Council of Ministers' decision to suspend nationwide access to the TikTok platform for 12 months

Europe press freedom report. 2024: confronting political pressure, disinformation, and the erosion of media independence - Reports

In 2024, press freedom faced threats from war, political interference, surveillance, and AI-driven disinformation, while advocacy efforts pushed for reforms

Ukraine: MFRR partners stand with journalists, 3 years since start of full-scale invasion - Article

On 24 February 2025, Ukraine marks three years since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. While the current scale of Russian attacks against journalists cannot be compared to that at the start of the war, they remain worryingly high and persistent

Croatia: Tackling political pressure, legal challenges and precarity to revive media freedom - Article

Outdated media laws, compromised public media independence, SLAPPs, as well as mounting economic, political, and physical pressures are undermining journalism and media freedom in Croatia, as outlined in the latest Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) report

Slovakia: New report highlights growing media freedom crisis - Article

Media freedom in Slovakia is facing a deep crisis, serving as a critical test case for the European Union’s commitment to safeguarding media freedom and democratic values, Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partner organisations warn today in a new report

USAID suspension in BiH, a hard blow to media and civil society - Article

The suspension of the US government's international aid programmes, one of the first decisions taken by Donald Trump after taking office, has triggered a wave of uncertainty around the world, and Bosnia and Herzegovina is no exception

By Darko Kurić

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA and BHS 

Italy: MFRR calls for full transparency after Fanpage editor-in-chief surveilled with spyware technology - Article

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today urge Italian authorities to shed full light on the recent surveillance of an editor-in-chief in Italy and others using spyware technology developed by Israeli firm Paragon Solutions. 

Condemnation of legal threats against Danwatch by Ingosstrakh and ELWI - Article

OBCT joins free expression organizations in denouncing legal threats issued by a Moscow-based law firm against the Danish investigative media outlet Danwatch

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