Moldovan women journalists challenging Russian disinformation - Article

Last fall, Moldovan investigative journalists Natalia Zaharescu and Măriuța Nistor infiltrated the network of pro-Russian oligarch Ilan Șor for three months. They documented the illegal techniques used to mobilize people and the risks faced by journalists working in this context

By Gian Marco Moisé

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

Georgia: Ahead of verdict, press freedom groups renew call for Mzia Amaglobeli’s release - Article

OBCT joins free expression organisations in urging the Georgian Dream authorities to drop the criminal charges against Mzia Amaglobeli and to ensure her immediate release

Amendments Concerning Video-Sharing Platforms: What Do Moldova’s Recent Audiovisual Legislation Updates Actually Entail? - Reports

As part of Moldova’s EU accession process, the Chisinau-based Independent Journalism Center (IJC) has published a legal analysis of recent legislative amendments affecting video-sharing platforms

EU Rule of Law Report: A welcome but insufficient response to deteriorating media freedom - Article

OBCT joins MFRR partners in responding to the publication of the European Commission's 2025 Rule of Law Report, urging the EU to strengthen its commitment to media freedom and the protection of independent journalism

Kosovo: Steadfast support for Flutura Kusari as she seeks justice against Mentor Llugaliu’s harassment - Article

OBCT joins free expression organizations in expressing support for colleague Flutura Kusari, Senior Legal Advisor at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), who has been the target of a prolonged online harassment campaign

Global Climate Legal Defense (CliDef) - Support Centres

Global Climate Legal Defense (CliDef) is a nonprofit initiative founded in November 2022 during COP27 by Equation Campaign. Its mission is to protect frontline climate defenders—activists, scientists, journalists, Indigenous leaders, parents, and students—who often face legal, financial, and political backlash for their work.

CliDef operates through a four-pronged strategy:

1. Providing legal advice and strategic planning to help individuals anticipate and respond to legal reprisals effectively;
2. Funding and supporting local lawyers and NGOs, since pro bono legal help is scarce in many regions; 
3. Coordinating legal support, matching defenders with the right attorneys and staying involved throughout cases;
4. Building a global legal network, expanding the pool of expertise—ranging from tax and defamation to criminal defense—to strengthen climate defenders worldwide.

CliDef ensures that those fighting for climate justice are not legally outgunned by fossil-fuel interests or government power, enabling them to continue their vital work.

Am I facing a SLAPP? - Reports

An interactive tool for self-assessment supplied by Index on Censorship launched on May 27th, “Am I facing a SLAPP?” was developed by leading anti-SLAPP experts in order to offer a first evaluating instrument to raise awareness and empower SLAPP targets to quickly assess their situation

Hungary: Foreign funding bill poses most serious threat to independent media in years - Article

OBCT joins MFRR partners in urging the EU to take action against Hungary’s proposed foreign funding bill, which poses a serious threat to freedom of expression and media freedom

Croatia: a country dossier ahead of the MFRR Media Freedom mission - Article

A dossier that highlights what is at stake in Croatia and for the journalists working in the country, ahead of the visit of the MFRR delegation to Zagreb.

Gendered SLAPPs: Addressing criminal prosecutions against exposers of sexual and gender-based violence under international human rights law - Reports

A position paper centred on vexatious lawsuits targeting those who report gender-based violence, in violation of freedom of expression as well as of the right to access justice