News

Civil society recommendations for an ambitious Rule of Law report in 2022

22/03/2022

OBCT joins 25 civil society organisations for a set of recommendations to strengthen the European Commission's Rule of Law report in 2022

Amidst war in Ukraine, EU must provide emergency visas for Russian & Belarusian journalists fleeing repression

15/03/2022

The undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today call on the Member States of the European Union to set a global example of support for media freedom in crisis by extending emergency shelter and visa waivers to Russian journalists fleeing the country, as well as Belarusian journalists seeking refuge from war and repression

Will Russia’s independent journalism survive the Kremlin’s crackdown?

07/03/2022

A webinar organized by the International Press Institute in cooperation with fjum and Presseclub Concordia will tackle the issue of independent journalism in Russia while the regime is leading the war in Ukraine

Freelance journalism in Europe survey

22/02/2022

As part of the Freelance journalism Assembly, the European Journalism Centre foundation (EJC), with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is launching a survey that will map the current landscape of freelance journalism in Europe, its challenges and opportunities for empowerment

Turkey: MFRR calls for swift and thorough investigation into murder of Güngör Arslan

21/02/2022

The partners in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) strongly condemn the murder of Güngör Arslan, the owner and managing editor of the local Ses Kocaeli newspaper in Turkey

Fifteen Organizations Condemn Lawsuit against Forensic News, deeming it a SLAPP

21/02/2022

The undersigned organisations express their serious concern at the legal proceedings that have been brought against investigative journalist Scott Stedman, his U.S. media company Forensic News, and three of his colleagues

Spain: Energy company launches €17.6 million SLAPP lawsuit against El Confidencial

14/02/2022

MFRR partners condemn the vexatious SLAPP lawsuit against the newspaper El Confidencial by the Spanish electricity company Iberdrola, which is claiming €17.6 million for alleged “reputational damage”. The MFRR partners see the lawsuit as another example of the urgent need for the introduction of anti-SLAPP legislation at the EU and national levels and reform of the current legal provisions on protection of honour and reputation in line with international freedom of expression standards

Needs and Gaps Brief No. 2: Ireland

08/02/2022

The second of a series of briefs presenting the results of the forthcoming Needs and Gaps analysis

Curated by Maria Francesca Rita

Poland: Dismissal of SLAPP-targeted journalist Grzegorz Rzeczkowski sets concerning precedent

07/02/2022

The undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) extend their support to journalist Grzegorz Rzeczkowski who faces four SLAPPs and was recently dismissed by Polityka, one of the major independent weekly magazines in Poland, without a transparent reason

Malta: Media battle for access to public information

07/02/2022

Press freedom groups raise concern over unprecedented FOI obstructions