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.

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

Serbia: Tendering process of national FTA TV licences must be open and transparent - Article

Partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) are concerned about the lack of a transparent process for the allocation of national free to air (FTA) TV licences in Serbia and of a Development Strategy for radio and audiovisual media services

Bulgaria: the media, law, and freedom of information - Legal Resources

Interview with Nelly Ognyanova, a leading Bulgarian expert on media law, by Francesco Martino, OBCT

France tramples on press freedom - Article

MFRR partners join International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ), and their French affiliates, the SNJ, SNJ-CGT, CFDT-Journalists calling on the French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, to withdraw three articles from the “Global Security” law

France: concerns about new draft law that would make it illegal to publish images of police and gendarmes at work - Article

The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) and European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR ), with French unions SNJ, SNJ-CGT, CFDT-Journalistes, are concerned about a legislative proposal currently pending in the French parliament, which would make it illegal to disseminate images of law enforcement officers of the national police and gendarmerie. We call on the members of Parliament to delete the proposed text

Albanian media law: a letter of concern - Article

The MFRR partners and SEEMO are alarmed by reports that the Parliament will approve the media law package without respecting international standards. Here the letter sent to Albanian authorities:

EU must act on Hungary media market distortion - Article

A coalition of 16 press freedom, freedom of expression and journalists‘ organisations have urged EU Competition Commissioner Margarethe Vestager to act on complaints that the Hungarian government has violated EU state aid rules to undermine media pluralism

Slovenia: serious concerns over proposed changes to public service media - Article

A letter to the Prime Minister, to the Minister of Culture, to the President of the Republic and to the Speaker of the National Assembly urges Slovenian authorities to ensure that all voices and viewpoints are carefully considered during the consultation process of the proposed changes to the funding of public service media, a package of amendments to three media laws that has the potential to weaken the public broadcaster