Italy: Roberto Saviano's conviction a major blow to free expression - Article

OBCT joins international media freedom, free expression, and journalist organisations in expressing shock over criminal conviction of the Italian writer

Also available in ITA

BiH: Republika Srpska reintroduces the crime of defamation - Article

On Thursday 20 July, the People's Assembly of the Republika Srpska adopted the Law on Amendments to the Crimial Code envisaging criminalization of defamation. Calls from international and local actors to protect freedom of speech and withdraw the scandalous provision that qualifies defamation as a criminal offense have gone unheeded

By Arman Fazlić

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA and BHS

SLAPPs against the media in Europe: is the EU response sufficient and what remains to be done? - Reports

Panel co-organized by ARTICLE 19 and OBC Transeuropa, as partner of Media Freedom Rapid Response Mechanism, within the 2023 International Journalism Festival  of Perugia

Republika Srpska, the criminalisation of defamation and the squeeze on media freedom - Article

The parliament of Republika Srpska approved in the first instance a bill to amend the criminal code which reintroduces the crime of defamation. Now sixty days of public debate and then back to the assembly. A dangerous step backwards for freedom of expression 

By Arman Fazlić

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA and BHS

Italy: a call in support of Roberto Saviano, defendant in a defamation trial - Article

At the conclusion of the first hearing in the proceedings for aggravated defamation initiated by current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni against Roberto Saviano in 2021, we express our solidarity with the Italian journalist for his commitment to the public interest

The key pillars to fight disinformation. A speech by Vera Jourová - Article

On July 7 the Vice-President of the European Commission held a speech at the European Media Conference "Diversity and Responsibility: Media in a Digital Society" organized by the German Federal Government to encourage debate on the issue of safeguarding media pluralism in Europe

Safety of Journalists and the Fighting of Corruption in the EU - Reports

A study commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee (Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) examines the chilling effect of crimes and threats against media workers, exploring regulatory and other measures to counter the phenomenon

Albania, the controversial media law - Legal Resources

Concerns persist over the approval of the new package of amendments aimed at modifying two important laws on the Albanian media, the so-called "anti-defamation package"

Nations in Transit 2018 – Slovenia Country report - Reports

The "Nations in Transit" Report on Slovenia by Freedom House (2018) provides an overview of the country's democratic institutions, including a section devoted to independent media. This digest focuses on this section

SLAPPs’ 5 W’s: a background of the Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation - Legal Resources

Following the assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, a group of European MEPs is calling on the EU Commission to promote an anti-SLAPP EU directive, to counter the attempts at silencing investigative journalism. A backgrounder on the use of the acronym “SLAPP”.