Reporting surveillance: the experience of Omer Benjakob - Article

Investigative tech reporter Omer Benjakob, member of the desk behind the publication of the cybersecurity focused newsletter NatSec+ for the newspaper Haaretz, speaks to OBCT/MFRR about the challenges of covering the surveillance tech industry in Israel, one of the countries that has developed this industry the most

Surveillance: how the Greek legal system threatens press freedom - Article

As part of the surveillance series, we interviewed Evita Papakiriakidou, criminal lawyer from the Athens Lawyers law firm, who represents Thanasis Koukakis, a Greek journalist who was the illegitimate target of spyware surveillance

by Alessio Giussani

Originally published by OBCT . Also available in ITA

Greece: refugee reporting in times of surveillance - Article

It could be the plot of a psychological thriller movie. It's the true story of a young investigative journalist, Stavros Malichudis, who unintentionally became one of the protagonists of the Greek Watergate. His reports, awarded with many international prizes, told the stories of refugees in Greece

by Mary Dosopoulos

Originally published by OBCT . Available also in ITA

Surveillance: after Pegasus and Predator, the EU is (slowly) taking action - Article

While the European Parliament's Commission enquires on the various states where surveillance technologies have been commercialised despite the bans, the emphasis remains on civil society and digital security.

Interview with Lorenzo Bagnoli of IrpiMedia

by Paola Rosà

Originally published by OBCT . Also available in ITA

Greece: Swift investigations required after two attacks against journalists - Article

OBCT joins journalists’ and media freedom organisations in condemning recent attacks to Greek journalists Giorgos Papachristos and Kostas Vaxevanis

Surveying the landscape - Initiatives to counter spyware - HTML5 video

Within the context of the 2023 MFRR Summit dedicated to “Press Freedom on the Line” - which took place from the 29 to the 31 of March - this discussion explored the strengths and weaknesses of the current draft of Article 4 of the EMFA, through a comparative analysis of the existing independent authorities that the article requires member states to designate, in order to deal with complaints about breaches of provisions of the article itself. The lack of judicial ex-ante evaluation mechanisms were discussed as a key missing element which has attracted much criticism from media-focused NGOs and civil society organisations which have been called upon to provide feedback by the Commission.

Rule of Law Reports - Protecting media pluralism and independence? - HTML5 video

Within the context of the 2023 MFRR Summit dedicated to “Press Freedom on the Line” - which took place from the 29 to the 31 of March, this panel discussed the potential of the Rule of Law (RoL) mechanism by looking at the experience of transnational coalitions employing the RoL report for Europe-wide advocacy work. It addressed the following key questions: How can European mechanisms such as the Rule of Law (RoL) report contribute to strengthening the protection of independent journalism across Europe? To what extent does it help foster an open and informed debate in member countries?

Turkey: International and local groups condemn detention of journalists in Ankara, Diyarbakır, İstanbul and İzmir - Article

OBCT joins 38 international organisations and calls on authorities to stop systematic detention of journalists in Turkey

Civic Intelligence Oversight: Practitioners’ Perspectives in France, Germany, and the UK - Reports

The article explores the forms of civic engagement and oversight holding intelligence agencies to account, counteracting the primacy of security and the secrecy of intelligence, with a focus on journalism and NGOs

Fieldwork Under Surveillance: A Research Note - Reports

Ethical and methodological challenges of conducting research “under surveillance”