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
At least 945 lawsuits against the media and journalists are currently active in Croatia, according to the results of a survey conducted by the Croatian Journalists' Association for the fifth year in a row. This outcome confirms the high-level pressure that journalists are subjected to from politicians, various actors in the economic sector, and public institutions
The acquittal of the authors of an investigative book on discontent within the majority party comes in a local context where the rule of law is severely tested by the interweaving of media concentration, economic interests, politics and business, family ties, and various anomalies
The allocation of national broadcasting frequencies in Serbia highlights the lack of transparency and pluralism in the sector. Frequencies are only awarded to government-friendly media. Concerns have been expressed by both the European Commission and the European Parliament
OBCT joins media freedom and human rights organisations calling for Turkish authorities to stop systematic harassment and intimidation of Kurdish journalists, media workers, media outlets, the lawyers that defend them, and Kurdish political party officials
Video recording of the panel co-organized by ARTICLE 19 and OBC Transeuropa, as partner of Media Freedom Rapid Response Mechanism, within the International Journalism Festival of Perugia. Speeches by Sarah Clarke (director ARTICLE 19 Europe), Bojana Jovanovic (Deputy editor crime and corruption reporting network), Sielke Kelner (Media Freedom Rapid Response), Roberto Saviano (journalist and author)
OBCT joins MFRR partners in expressing dismay over the recent court ruling involving a SLAPP lawsuit against Greek media outlet Alterthess and one of its journalists, Stavroula Poulimeni. Given the dangerous consequences that such a legal precedent could have, MFRR organisations have decided to provide funding to cover legal fees for their appeal
