News Mfrr

Republika Srpska, the criminalisation of defamation and the squeeze on media freedom

28/03/2023 -  Arman Fazlić Sarajevo

The parliament of Republika Srpska approved in the first instance a bill to amend the criminal code which reintroduces the crime of defamation. Now sixty days of public debate and then back to the assembly. A dangerous step backwards for freedom of expression

Journalists in residence, the new call

22/03/2023

As part of the project Media Freedom Rapid Response, the Journalists in Residence programme – Milan launches a new call for applications open to journalists and media professionals who are experiencing some risk, threat or intimidation to their person as a direct result of their journalistic work

SLAPP in Bulgaria, record claim against Mediapool

21/03/2023 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

A record claim for compensation against Bulgarian online newspaper Mediapool, "guilty" of bringing the problems of the insurance sector to public attention. A trial brings the SLAPP issue back under the spotlight in Bulgaria, between fears and professional solidarity

Slavko Ćuruvija: Cycle of impunity for killing of journalists in Serbia must be broken

16/03/2023

Partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) renew their call for justice for the assassination of Serbian journalist Slavko Ćuruvija to finally be secured and the cycle of impunity for the killings of journalists in Serbia to be broken

South Tyrol, the information monopoly and a new case of SLAPP

15/03/2023 -  Paola Rosà Rovereto

The Bolzano Salto.bz web portal has received a claim for damages for 150,000 Euros from the South Tyrol publishing giant Athesia. According to defence attorney Nicola Canestrini, it is a clear case of SLAPP, a gag complaint

Italy: Prosecutor issues seizure order for article published by newspaper Domani

10/03/2023

Italian press freedom is seriously threatened by yet another attempt by a member of the current government to silence independent journalism

Emilia Sercan, a life under siege

08/03/2023 -  Sielke Kelner

Investigative journalist and university lecturer Emilia Sercan is at the centre of a new smear campaign after revealing that the Interior minister had plagiarised his doctoral thesis. We met her

Ukraine: MFRR call in solidarity and support for journalists

24/02/2023

One year since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, MFRR calls for continued solidarity and support for journalists covering the war

SLAPPs in Bosnia and Herzegovina

23/02/2023 -  Arman Fazlić Sarajevo

Also in Bosnia and Herzegovina one of the major obstacles to the exercise of the journalistic profession is represented by the so-called SLAPPs, lawsuits seeking to silence or limit the work of journalists and civil rights activists

Romania: Renewed call for action after fresh smear campaign against Emilia Șercan

17/02/2023

OBCT joins media freedom organizations in expressing their solidarity to Romanian investigative journalist Emilia Șercan. We condemn the latest smear campaign launched against her and urge Romanian authorities to prosecute the authors of the harassment Șercan has been subjected to