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.

Croatia, journalists on the streets - Article

Hundreds of journalists took to the streets in Zagreb against the Plenković government's amendments to the Criminal Code, which limit the right to report. According to the Association of Croatian Journalists, the prime minister wants to silence investigations into his government's corruption

By Giovanni Vale 

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

Urgent action needed by the Netherlands to protect civic space against SLAPPs and other forms of legal intimidation - Article

OBCT joins media freedom organisations in urging the Netherlands to adopt regulatory measures against SLAPPs

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

The “misuse” of the judicial system to attack freedom of expression: trends, challenges and responses - Reports

The current UNESCO brief explores a number of legal tools which are employed to curb freedom of expression around the world, such as criminal defamation offences; defamation as civil wrong; SLAPPs

Turkey: international groups call on parliament to reject the “disinformation” bill as a tool of digital censorship - Article

Law designed to expand censorship online and criminalize free flow of information

Rush to pass ‘fake news’ laws during Covid-19 intensifying global media freedom challenges - Legal Resources

17 states passed some form of regulation targeting disinformation during pandemic, handing autocrats new censorship tools. An overview by IPI

Spain: a new law against fact-checking - Article

An analysis by Javier Luque, IPI Head of Digital Communications, for Media Freedom Rapid Response: polarization and attempts by far-right party to smear fact-checkers and journalists corner press freedom in the country

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"

ARTICLE 19 comments on new Italian regulation on ‘hate speech’ - Reports

Some improvements, but also lack of compliance with the international framework: a mixed judgment by ARTICLE 19 welcomes the new AGCOM Regulation in Italy, while hate speech remains a great concern in the country