Digital surveillance shaping the public sphere. The case of the use of spyware on journalists - Reports

This paper examines how intrusive spyware targeting journalists undermines the public sphere. Through a comparative analysis of Greece, Italy, and Spain, it assesses legal safeguards against surveillance under Article 4 of the European Media Freedom Act. Findings reveal fragmented national frameworks with inadequate journalist protections, generating chilling effects that threaten investigative journalism and democratic accountability across EU member states.

E io ti querelo. Una storia della libertà di espressione in dieci processi - Books

"E io ti querelo. Una storia della libertà di espressione in dieci processi" is a book written by Caterina Malavenda and published by Marsilio in 2025, presenting a compelling account of media freedom in contemporary Italy through ten landmark legal cases. Malavenda, a Cassation lawyer specializing in media law, chronicles her career defending journalists and major news outlets in defamation proceedings since moving to Milan in the 1980s.

Steadfast support for Massimo Moratti, MFRR researcher, as he is facing an expulsion order from Serbian authorities - Article

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), press freedom and free expression partners express our firm support for our colleague Massimo Moratti, the Senior Research Affiliate for the Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), as he faces expulsion from Serbia in apparent connection with his human rights work.

Albania: Social media platforms must protect media and public-interest accounts from coordinated manipulation - Article

The partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), the SafeJournalists Network (SJN), and other partner organizations are concerned about recent incidents in Albania in which media, journalists, civic initiatives and other public-interest accounts have faced unexplained restrictions, removals and apparent attempts to manipulate social-media enforcement systems.

Information as a Public Good: why media freedom is essential to democracy - Reports

This Legal and Policy Report, authored by Andrea Oleandri and produced within the STRIVE 2026 project supported by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) and the European Union, argues that the quality of a democracy depends on the quality of its information space, and that the traditional framing of press freedom—centred on protecting individual expression from state censorship—is no longer sufficient to guarantee a genuinely free and pluralistic media environment

Moldova’s Proposed Anti-SLAPP Package: a legal analysis - Reports

In the context of Moldova’s accession process to the EU, the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) has published a legal analysis of the recent legislative efforts introduces to counter vexatious lawsuits

A dangerous spiral of violence against journalists in Serbia - Reports

OBCT, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners and the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform present a report which outlines the deteriorating situation for media freedom and safety of journalists in Serbia. The report is a result of an international mission to Belgrade that took place in March 2026.

SLAPPs in Moldova: Lessons from investigative media outlet Cu Sens - Article

The Moldovan investigative journalism outlet Cu Sens has faced numerous legal threats in recent years. In this interview, Felicia Crețu and Liuba Șevciuc discuss how they responded to these challenges and the lessons they learned from their experience

By Gian Marco Moisé

Originally published by OBCT. Also available in ITA

Moldova: Shadow Report on the State of Media Freedom in the Country - Reports

Media freedom, European integration, and reform processes in Moldova are the central themes of the recent shadow report published by the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) in collaboration with OBCT and ActiveWatch

Bulgaria: Press freedom groups demand safety of journalist Dimitar Stoyanov is guaranteed following alleged threats - Article

The undersigned international media freedom organisations today raise alarm over the coordinated campaign of pressure against Bulgarian investigative journalist Dimitar Stoyanov and call on national authorities to guarantee his safety and respond forcefully to allegations of a potential assassination attempt in response to his reporting