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.

Open letter: “We refuse to let the anti-SLAPP directive be a missed opportunity” - Article

OBCT joins international organisations in calling for robust anti-SLAPP Directive

Also available in ITA

Media freedom groups call on the EU to prioritise media freedom reforms and human rights in relations with Turkey - Article

OBCT joins media freedom and journalists groups in calling on the incoming Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union to place media freedom and fundamental rights at the heart of future relations with Turkey

North Macedonia: International press freedom mission finds fragile progress in need of further support - Article

This week OBCT joined MFRR partners in a fact-finding mission to North Macedonia organised by the Association of Journalists of Macedonia. While the coalition recognises an improvement in media workers' working conditions, it also warns that the landscape of journalism in the country remains fragile

Law enforcement must protect journalists amidst escalating tensions in northern Kosovo - Article

OBCT and the undersigned international press freedom organisations express their concern about the recent violent attacks on journalists in Kosovo and call on the authorities to implement the necessary measures to ensure media workers' safety 

Gag lawsuits, an anti-SLAPP shield is coming - Article

OCCRP, the transnational investigative journalism platform against crime and corruption, has devised a system to prevent lawsuits, prevent self-censorship, and defend journalists from gag lawsuits – an actual shield in defence of reporters. Drew Sullivan, co-founder of OCCRP, explains it to us

By Paola Rosà

Invitation to participate in our online survey - Article

The safety of journalists is at risk in too many countries, and protection systems are facing new challenges. OBCT invites journalists, media outlets and stakeholders to answer to relevant questions in order to outline the problems and the possible solutions. If you have experienced threats and have asked for help, please, access our questionnaires

OBCT and other international organisations call on Belarusian authorities to stop their oppression of journalists and media freedom - Article

We call on Belarusian authorities to stop attacking, detaining and demonising journalists and media workers and work towards meaningful protections for media freedom

Statement in support of the mandate of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media - Article

Twenty-nine organisations signed a statement in support of media freedom, after the decision of the Governments of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan to block the renewal of the mandate of Harlem Désir, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.

Malta: Renewed call for justice 1,000 days after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia - Article

Together with other media freedom and human rights organisations, OBCT again demands justice for all those involved in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was also a victim of several SLAPPs. Here the text of the call