Category Legal
8 Jun

Ending Gag Lawsuits in Europe – Protecting Democracy and Fundamental Rights

The EU must end gag lawsuits used to silence individuals and organisations that hold those in positions of power to account.

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5 Jun

MFRR call on Italian Constitutional Court to abolish prison sentences for criminal defamation as part of wider legislative reform

On 9 June, the Constitutional Court will hold a public hearing into the legitimacy of laws that allow for jail sentences for journalists convicted of defamation. Ahead of the hearing, MediaFreedomRR partners urge for reform.

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19 May

Open letter to the European Commission concerning the threat of vexatious litigation against journalists…

The undersigned NGOs welcome the Commission’s commitment to address the threat of vexatious litigation against journalists, activists and others. The weaponization of the law by powerful economic actors has for too long resulted in the suppression of scrutiny and the consequent weakening of the rule of law in the European Union.

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10 Apr

Op-ed former EU ambassador: FREE PRISONERS OF OPINION IN TURKEY

Marc Pierini, former EU Ambassador to Turkey, initiated an op-ed on the draft amnesty law affecting political prisoners including journalists in Turkey.

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28 Feb

Media freedom campaigners and journalists unite for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom has signed a petition calling for Assange to be released. He is wanted in the United States, where the authorities intend to put him on trial in the state of Virginia, charged with facilitating the leak of military secrets.

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27 Jan

Letter to EC VP Věra Jourová on Anti-SLAPP legislation

With more than 20 international organisations we have written a joint letter to European Commissioner Vice President Věra Jourová calling on her to include everyone who has been impacted by SLAPP lawsuits in the European Union’s proposed new rules. Vice-President Vera JourováEuropean CommissionRue de la Loi / Wetstraat 2001049 BrusselsBelgium Brussels, 27 January 2020 RE: […]

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19 Dec

Albanian authorities pursue highly problematic media laws despite public outcry

We, the undersigned organisations, call on the Albanian parliament not to approve the draft media laws known as the “defamation package.” Should the draft laws enter into force, they would introduce mandatory registration requirements for online media and create an administrative body with the power to fine, shut down online media and block foreign online […]

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15 Nov

Assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia: International organisations cautiously welcome improved terms of the public inquiry

15 November 2019 We, the undersigned organisations, cautiously welcome today’s announcement by the Maltese Government that they will update terms of reference and the composition of the Board of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. This is a long overdue step towards ensuring justice and ending impunity in Daphne’s case […]

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6 Nov

Victory for ECPMF-backed case at the European Court of Human Rights

By Jane Whyatt – 06.11.2019 A Hungarian journalist has won a major legal victory and test case with support from the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF). Illés Szurovecz, a twenty-six year old reporter working for the online news portal abcug.hu, brought the case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) after […]

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18 Oct

Turkey: Altan & others still in jail as retrial commences on new bogus terrorism charges

18.10.2019 On 8 October, the retrial of journalists, writers and media workers Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan, Nazlı Ilıcak, Yakup Şimşek, Fevzi Yazıcı and Şükrü Tuğrul Özşengül on terrorism charges began at the High Penal Court No. 26 in Istanbul. The retrial on these charges was ordered by the Supreme Court of Appeals in July 2019. […]

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