According to the Institute, the attacks appears to be in retaliation for the work in favour of independent media outlets in Hungary, which were also targeted
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
The world of journalism is mobilizing and launching yet another heartfelt appeal to the European Parliament to introduce, in the proposed European Media Freedom Law (EMFA) under discussion, a total ban on the use of spying software against journalists
In protest against the new Canadian law that requires social media to pay news organisations every time a user shares a link, Facebook has blocked access to news portals, earning the condemnation of Prime Minister Trudeau. In Europe, meanwhile, new regulations are on their way on the removal of content, advertising, and disinformation
For the Italian Press National Federation and trade associations, the crackdown on the dissemination of transcripts is a new attack on freedom of the press and citizens' right to be informed. Even MPs are in turmoil, worried that the "cyber interceptor" – aka trojan - will get out of the hands of its users
The new European regulation aims to protect the secrecy of journalistic sources, the key concept at the heart of journalism, but actually risks legitimising its systematic violation
A recent report by the Association of Independent Journalists of Serbia together with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network analyses the problems concerning the safety of journalists on the web, looking at the specific case of Serbia, and suggests how to make the editorial environment less dangerous
OBCT joins international media freedom organisations in welcoming the decision of the Kosovar Commercial Court blocking the suspension of Klan Kosova business licence
“I don't know who wrote this bill, but I suspect that the main intention was to divide the Croatian media, creating havoc in the sector”, said Hrvoje Zovko, the president of the Association of Croatian Journalists (HND). We met him in Zagreb
On Thursday 20 July, the People's Assembly of the Republika Srpska adopted the Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code envisaging criminalization of defamation. Calls from international and local actors to protect freedom of speech and withdraw the controversial provision that qualifies defamation as a criminal offence have gone unheeded
On July 10 the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), of which OBCT is a member, promoted a Day of Action dedicated to the campaign against SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) targeting activists, human rights defenders, and journalists.
The Italian anti-SLAPP WG joins CASE in a transnational Day of Action against SLAPPs, calling on the Italian Minister of Justice for concrete commitment during the EU trialogue negotiations, scheduled to start on July, 12
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
Following the fourth hearing in the SLAPP case initiated by PM Giorgia Meloni against Roberto Saviano, OBCT joins media and journalists' freedom organisations in expressing solidarity with the Italian writer
In Serbia, local media play a central role in shaping the narrative of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We talked about it with Aleksandra Godfroid, journalist of the N1 TV network
OBCT joins media freedom and journalist organisations in expressing their alarm over the recent politically-influenced internal management changes at the Italian public service broadcaster
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
During the elections that have just ended in Türkiye, the candidates used a discriminating and aggressive discourse. We talked about it with Yasemin Korkmaz, coordinator of the hate speech monitoring campaign in Türkiye at the Hrant Dink Foundation
Since the beginning of the year, the European consortium Media Freedom Rapid Response has recorded 34 cases of violation of press freedom in Italy, including assaults, verbal attacks, and strategic lawsuits. We talked about it with Rossella Puccio, an independent journalist who was the victim of attacks and intimidation
This week OBCT joined MFRR partners in a fact-finding mission to North Macedonia organised by the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (ZNM). While the coalition recognises an improvement in media workers' working conditions, it also warns that the landscape of journalism in the country remains fragile
The documentary “The Killing of a Journalist” (2022), by the American director Matt Sarnecki, covers the murder of Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his girlfriend Martina Kušnírová and its aftermath, unveiling the political corruption in Slovakia
The struggle for control of information in Slovenia is a constant in the permanent "civil war" between the country's political forces. After long political clashes, the Board of Directors met for the first time last Monday
OBCT joins international press freedom and journalists’ organisations in expressing solidarity with Serbian media outlet KRIK, whose newsroom is continuously subjected to legal harassment
Investigative journalists, in addition to the risks of the trade, often incur libel lawsuits, SLAPPs, etc.. Especially if, like Sara Manisera, they deal with sensitive issues such as organised crime. We interviewed her
After the massacres of the recent weeks, street demonstrations continue against the government and above all the media, which according to critics have created a climate of intolerance and violence over the years
