Media

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

Joint statement on the European Commission’s 2023 Rule of Law Report

22/02/2023

OBC Transeuropa joins European civil society organizations drawing the attention of the European Commission to a set of concerns on the situation of the rule of law across the EU that should urgently be addressed ahead of the 2023 Rule of Law Report.

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

Turkey, earthquake fall out takes political turn

14/02/2023 -  Kenan Behzat Sharpe

The devastating earthquakes that shook Turkey on February 6 have uncovered a divided country, where many denounce the earthquakes as an announced tragedy. The government responds to the protests by tightening censorship

Restoring trust in Greek journalists: George Tragkas’ controversial legacy

02/02/2023 -  Mary Drosopoulos Thessaloniki

George Tragkas was a prominent journalist who passed away in December 2021. The post-mortem discovery of his colossal wealth has sparked public controversy on the role and power of journalists in the country

Montenegro: after a new acquittal, the hopes and projects of journalist Jovo Martinovic

30/01/2023 -  Paola Rosà

After over seven years of judicial ordeal and after spending fifteen months in pre-trial detention on drug trafficking charges, investigative journalist Jovo Martinovic was acquitted for the second time by the Appellate Court on 17 January. We interviewed him while waiting for the final verdict

Serbia: toxic substances and dangerous railways

26/01/2023 -  Antonela Riha Belgrade

Little or nothing is known about the impact and responsibility of 20 tonnes of ammonia leaking from a tank on a freight train in southeast Serbia, an accident that also claimed two lives. In Serbia, it remains hard for citizens to obtain information about these environmental disasters

Romania: plagiarism, a gateway to corruption

19/12/2022 -  Sielke Kelner

In this conversation with Emilia Șercan, investigative journalist and senior lecturer at the University of Bucharest, we explored the state of the art of Romanian journalism and reflected upon the different meanings of plagiarism in a country where corruption remains rampant

Latvia: Media regulator urged not to revoke Dozhd license pending court review

12/12/2022

Together with our MFRR partners, we express concern over the decision to revoke the broadcast license of the independent TV station Dozhd: independent Russian journalism should be provided a safe refuge in Europe

Meduza’s statement regarding the revocation of TV Rain’s Latvian broadcasting license

07/12/2022

We share the full text of Meduza's statement in support of independent Russian broadcaster TV Rain

Multiple journalists threatened and harassed in Serbia, authorities must take urgent action

06/12/2022

OBCT joins the Media Freedom Rapid Response partners and the Safe Journalists Network in condemning in the strongest terms the intimidation and often orchestrated campaigns by pro-government media outlets and members of the public to silence journalists in Serbia

Turkey, bombs and censorship

02/12/2022 -  Kenan Behzat Sharpe Istanbul

The recent attack in the heart of Istanbul brought the issue of political violence in Turkey back to the fore, but also dramatically exposed the limitations on access to free information in the country

Bulgarian far-right party’s ‘foreign agent’ bill sparks media freedom concerns

29/11/2022

Press freedom groups raise alarm that law appears intended to target critical media in Bulgaria

Italy: Newspaper Domani sued for defamation by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

25/11/2022

At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing in the case of aggravated defamation against two journalists from the daily newspaper Domani initiated by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, an appeal for the lawsuit to be dropped and for a comprehensive reform of defamation laws in Italy

Milan shelter city: protected residences for threatened journalism

22/11/2022

Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa, Q Code Mag and ECPMF, in collaboration with the Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation, present the event “Milan shelter city: protected residences for threatened journalism”

Milan city of refuge: protected residences for threatened journalism

18/11/2022

A public event to present the Journalist-in-Residence (JiR) protected residence project, coordinated by OBC Transeuropa, Q Code Mag and the European Center for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium, to relaunch the idea of ​​Milan as a shelter city for journalists. Two journalists who have benefited from the JiR protection programme will be present and will share their experiences

Gag complaints, an anti-SLAPP shield is coming

22/11/2022 -  Paola Rosà

OCCRP, the transnational investigative journalism platform against crime and corruption, has devised a system to prevent lawsuits, prevent self-censorship, and defend journalists from gag lawsuits – an actual shield in defence of reporters. We interviewed Drew Sullivan, co-founder of OCCRP

Italy: a call in support of Roberto Saviano, defendant in a defamation trial

16/11/2022

At the conclusion of the first hearing in the proceedings for aggravated defamation initiated by current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni against Roberto Saviano in 2021, we express our solidarity with the Italian journalist for his commitment to the public interest

Italy, journalism and the rule of law

17/11/2022 -  Maria Francesca Rita

In a country where media freedom and pluralism are formally protected by a solid legislative framework, the ability of journalists to conduct their investigative work still faces several challenges. We discussed these issues in an interview with Lorenzo Bagnoli, IrpiMedia journalist

“Predatorgate”, dozens of Greek ministers and journalists under surveillance

09/11/2022 -  Alessio Giussani Athens

New revelations reopen the surveillance scandal in Greece: dozens of journalists, politicians, and entrepreneurs were targeted by secret services and spyware. Who gave the orders?

Against SLAPPs, the first European conference

07/11/2022 -  Sielke Kelner

The first European conference for the fight against SLAPPs, also known as gag or reckless complaints, was held in Strasbourg on 20 October, organised by the European Center for Press and Media Freedom and the Coalition against SLAPP in Europe. The report of the event

Romania: the interference of parties in the media

03/11/2022 -  Mihaela Iordache

A recent report by the Council of Europe exposes the flow of money that goes from political parties to the media in Romania, and the consequent subordination

Italy: Concern about prosecutor’s demand for prison sentence for three journalists in response to their factual reporting

02/11/2022

Together with other organisations for press freedom in Italy and Europe, OBCT expresses concern over the request by the Lecce prosecutor for a six-month prison sentence for three journalists who reported on a lawsuit involving a former minister

Malta: Civil society renews calls for full justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia

17/10/2022

Five years ago today, investigative reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia was brutally assassinated in a car bomb attack in Malta. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and colleagues. Together with them, we continue to fight for full justice

Greece: Full scale of surveillance on journalists must be unearthed

13/10/2022

MFRR partners back calls for the testing of mobile devices belonging to journalists in Greece who suspect they may have been targets of surveillance. The recent scandals require full transparency and accountability, and have underscored deepening concerns about the erosion of media freedom under the New Democracy government

International mission to Turkey, for the press freedom

11/10/2022

IPI leads international mission to Turkey, from October 12 to 14, 2022. Nine press freedom and journalism groups to examine media freedom crisis in build up to 2023 elections

Turkey: the disinformation bill is a threat to freedom of expression

07/10/2022

Twenty five international organisations call on Members of Parliament to vote against the bill on “disinformation and fake news”, which was submitted to parliament’s General Assembly on October 4 by the governing alliance of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)

Call for Italian political forces to take a stand against SLAPPs, a ‘slap’ in the face of freedom of information

20/09/2022

The right of citizens to be informed about matters of public interest and of journalists to write freely about them cannot and must not be hindered by SLAPPs. Civil society's appeal to the future parliament to promote measures to contrast strategic lawsuits

Serbia: Support from MFRR for OK Radio as it faces intimidation

09/09/2022

Threats and pressure on media outlets by powerful business interests cannot be met with impunity. The partner organisations of the MFRR urge Serbian authorities to ensure the safety of the journalists and staff at OK Radio under attack