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

Croatia: SafeJournalists and MFRR partners express full solidarity and support to Hrvoje Zovko in further legal battle - Article

Following the decision of the Supreme Court to overturn the the previous verdicts on the case involving Hrvoje Zovko and the Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT), media freedom organisations show full support to the Croatian journalist in his appeal to the Constitutional Court

Germany: journalist Ignacio Rosaslanda was physically assaulted by police while covering a police operation - Article

The undersigned international media freedom, free expression, and journalist organisations call on the German authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the physical attack by Berlin police on Mexican video journalist Ignacio Rosaslanda while he was covering a police operation.

Romania: Super election year calls for press freedom assessment - Article

Upcoming mission of European media freedom consortium to evaluate concerns

SafeJournalists network, MFRR partners, and Coalition for Media Freedom condemn continuing pressures and attacks on journalists in Serbia - Article

The SafeJournalists network, Media Freedom Rapid Response partners, and Coalition for Media Freedom condemn the growing pressure on Serbian journalists, recently exemplified by a physical attack on journalist Vuk Cvijić, and the demand for prison sentences for the journalists of the media outlets KRIK and Pištaljka. We call on the authorities to prioritise addressing the rise in attacks against the press and to genuinely commit to improving the safety of journalists

Silencing the Fourth Estate: Italy’s democratic drift - Article

Media freedom coalition sounds the alarm on political meddling and legal threats to journalism

Also available in ITA

North Macedonia: Media freedom groups urge authorities to cease harassment of journalist Furkan Saliu - Article

OBCT joins international media freedom, free expression, and journalist organisations in calling on authorities in North Macedonia to cease harassment of Furkan Saliu

MFRR to conduct an urgent mission to Italy amid worsening state of media freedom - Article

The growing pressure on press freedom in Italy has prompted the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium to organize an urgent mission to Rome on May 16 and 17. The unprecedented political interference in the public service media, the increasing cases of vexatious lawsuits against journalists, and the possible sale of the AGI news agency will be the focus of the two-day visit. Meetings will be held with institutional stakeholders, journalists, trade unions and civil society

Also available in ITA

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