The data from the first four months of monitoring by the MFRR consortium confirm a concerning landscape for the safety of journalists and the state of media freedom, both in EU member countries and in countries as Serbia and Turkey
Turkey is currently the largest prison for journalists in the world, with over 80 media workers in detention. Not content with that, the Turkish parliament has now passed a law that gives the government more control over social networks. An analysis of the situation of the Turkish media
The Media Freedom Rapid Response, a EU-funded project that OBCT participates in, offers tangible and frontline support to journalists and media workers in EU member states and candidate countries who are at risk due to their work. This includes support for legal defence and opinion, emergency support such as covering travel, psychological support and family costs, offering residencies in Germany and Italy, and delivering and supporting training across the continent
During the protests in Belgrade, police officers have been using violence against reporters and media workers, too, preventing them to do their job. The partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and other international organisations wrote a letter to the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia to remind the duties and commitments to defend media freedom. Here the text of the letter:
A contribution of €15,000 has been granted to respond to the unprecedented legal threats made against Polish newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza to support the outlet’s legal defence. The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a mechanism to monitor and respond to threats against journalists and media workers in EU Member States and Candidate Countries, is a concrete support against SLAPPs
On the eve of the elections, yet another scandal invests Serbia's leadership. A photograph portrays the son of President Vučić at a bar in the company of some other people, including a member of a mafia clan
Together with more than 40 ngos, we call to the Turkish authorities to free Kurdish journalist Nedim Türfent, who is in jail since May 2016 for false allegations of "terrorism": his only fault was to report on Kurdish issues and on the abuses of Turkish special forces. After almost 1500 days of detention, we invite everybody to sign this call
COVID-19 has exposed the weaknesses of Albania’s public information. The monopolisation of communication on coronavirus has raised concerns over the government’s accountability on pandemic management as well as media freedom
An historical decision is awaiting journalists and Parliament on June 9th: the Constitutional Court is deciding if prison is a legitimate punishment for defamation. And Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners consider this a crucial first step forward
Once again, journalists are under attack in an EU country. Croatian Minister of the Environment Tomislav Ćorić discredited journalist Hrvoje Krešić by citing the latter's private conversations. Bewilderment in the associations in defense of journalists
Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners are concerned about the increased violence against media professionals at protests and demonstrations across EU Member States and Candidate Countries in the last months and call for increased protection
The Turkish government continues to ignore international voices calling for justice and respect of human rights, and has excluded human rights defenders, journalists and politicians from the benefits of the recent law that allows 90,000 prisoners to go home. Together with other 23 international groups, OBCT urges the authorities to move now to prevent a humanitarian disaster.
OBCT joined other over 80 MEPs and civil society groups in signing a letter sent to the presidents of the European Commission and Council: we call on European institutions to condemn every measure abusing the emergency situation to dismantle democracy and silence civil society. Here the text of the letter
According to Željko Bodrožić, president of the Association of Independent Journalists of Serbia (NUNS), the state of emergency has only worsened the situation of non-aligned media, often subject to the discredit of the media controlled by power
In Sirobuja, on the outskirts of Split, a clandestine mass was held on the day of Catholic Easter, in spite of all the prohibitions imposed by the coronavirus epidemic. The journalists documenting the fact were beaten up and verbally abused
An unsigned and suspicious article, featured on the website of the Kosovar public broadcaster in the middle of the last election campaign, resparked the debate in Pristina on the use of false news as a tool for propaganda and political struggle
The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to be used by the Serbian authorities to violate the Constitution, break laws, and even formally attempt to introduce censorship – all this by manipulating citizens' fears
A comment by the director of Serbia's Center for Investigative Journalism after the Serbian government recently introduced a measure that restricts freedom of information during a state of emergency. A ruling that the Serbian Prime Minister declared will be withdrawn
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Turkey persists in detaining and arresting new journalists. Calls by human rights organisations for the release of journalists and activists are multiplying
Together with other human rights groups and organizations, OBCT calls on the Turkish government to include journalists and human rights defenders in the release of thousands of prisoners from overcrowded prisons: the novelist Ahmet Altan and the businessman Osman Kavala are among those who would not be released as they are detained for terrorism related crimes
The Council of Europe and media freedom international organisations call on European States to defend independent journalistic work and not to exploit the Coronavirus crisis to further limit free access to information
Together with other 23 international media freedom organisations, OBCT calls on the General Director of BIK to swiftly lift the advertising ban currently imposed on Evrensel, an independent newspaper now risking an economic collapse. Here the text of the call
OBC Transeuropa, together with the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom and other partners, starts Rapid Response Mechanism to support independent journalism. The project is co-funded by the European Commission
Last January the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports presented a bill in order to change the media and disinformation law. The proposal, however, has raised criticism from the opposition, journalists, and media experts, who see their right to freedom of opinion threatened
The Antonio Megalizzi Foundation was inaugurated in Trento on February 13th-14th. The ceremony was attended by President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, who outlined the challenges faced by the Union, the community in which Antonio strongly believed
The Antonio Megalizzi Foundation, dedicated to the young man from Trentino who died in December 2018 during a terrorist attack in Strasbourg, is being inaugurated in Trento on February 13th and 14th
The Telekom company, of which the state is the majority owner, has removed from its cable offer N1, the only television network aimed at the general public that also presents critical positions towards the current majority
The undersigned international and regional press freedom and journalism groups welcome the start of the murder trial this week against the suspected killers of Slovak journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová
The abuse of law as a tool to silence dissent, influence freedom of expression and capture media freedom. The 9th of a series of thematic itineraries to explore the Resource Centre on Media Freedom through a curated aggregation of contents
Forced to waste time, energy, and money to defend themselves against lawsuits that are unfounded in almost 90% of cases, journalists in Italy and Croatia are well aware of the SLAPP phenomenon (strategic lawsuit against public participation). Expert talks in Europe and a promising journalist's bill in Italy
