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Slovenia: MFRR concerned over proposed changes to public service…

Slovenia: MFRR partners seriously concerned over proposed changes to public service media

The International Press Institute (IPI), as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) expresses serious concern over proposed amendments to laws governing public service media in Slovenia.

In a letter to Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša and Culture Minister Vasko Simonit, the MFRR partners said the package of three media laws had the “potential to financially weaken the public broadcaster and allow far greater government control over the management of public service media”.

The letter calls on Slovenia to “apply to brakes” to the proposed changes, at the very least pending extensive further consultation and substantial revisions. “It is clear that major changes to these proposals are needed to safeguard the independence and public-interest reporting of public service media in Slovenia”, the letter concludes.

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Serbia: violent attacks against journalists during two consecutive nights…

Serbia: violent attacks against journalists during two consecutive nights of protests

MFRR partners, IPI and EFJ share statements condemning the threats and attacks against journalists and media workers covering protests in Belgrade, Nis and Novi Sad.

For two consecutive nights, public protests have erupted across Serbia, in response to the Government’s lockdown and COVID-19 policies. At these protests, journalists and media workers have faced a number of threats and attacks from individual protesters and police officers.

The MFRR are extremely concerned by violence against journalists during these protests. In two days, we have been informed of at least 14 attacks against journalists and media workers who were on the field to report in the public interest

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Malta: Renewed call for justice 1,000 days after the…

Malta: Renewed call for justice 1,000 days after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia

12 July 2020 marks 1,000 days since the assassination of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. On this anniversary, the MFRR reasserts our demands for justice for all those involved in her murder and the corruption she exposed.

In recent weeks, yet more disturbing revelations of state corruption and impunity related to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia continue to emerge, underscoring the weaknesses in Malta’s rule of law, and entrenched impunity for both the murder of Caruana Galizia and the high-level abuses of power she investigated.

On the 1,000th day since her assassination we call for justice, transparency and accountability

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Transparent investigation needed into death threats against Bulgarian journalist

Transparent investigation needed into death threats against Bulgarian journalist

IPI, as part of the MFRR, welcomes police protection but calls for chief prosecutor to ensure full investigation

The International Press Institute (IPI) called on the chief prosecutor in Bulgaria to ensure a transparent investigation is conducted into recent death threats against investigative journalist Nikolay Staykov.

Staykov, a well-known Bulgarian journalist who co-founded the NGO Anti-Corruption Fund, told IPI he began received threatening phone calls on June 18 as part of a “coordinated” campaign of harassment he believes was linked to an ongoing investigative documentary he had produced about alleged state corruption.

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Poland: Reporting of presidential campaign highlights lack of independence…

Poland: Biased and imbalanced reporting of presidential campaign highlights lack of independence of the public broadcaster Telewizja Polska (TVP)

ARTICLE 19 is concerned by the conduct of the Polish state TV, Telewizja Polska S.A. (TVP), during the ongoing presidential campaign in Poland, which includes providing one-sided coverage of the political campaign and broadcasting footage.

The MFRR is also concerned by TVP’s role in amplifying the government’s discriminatory rhetoric against minority groups throughout the Presidential campaign. Government media have a duty to be balanced and impartial in their election reporting and not to discriminate against any political party or candidate in granting access to airtime. TVP should respect this in the second round of voting on 12 July 2020.

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Poland: MFRR supports Gazeta Wyborcza against 55 SLAPP Actions

MFRR supports Gazeta Wyborcza in Poland who has received over 55 threats of legal action

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) has responded to the unprecedented legal threats made against Polish newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza by contributing €15,000, it’s largest grant to date, to support the outlet’s legal defence.

Since 2015, Gazeta Wyborcza has received over 55 legal threats, including civil defamation actions and alleged infringement of personal interests by a number of actors including Jarosław Kaczyński, the head of the governing Prawo i Sprawiedliwość (PiS) party; the state television broadcaster, Telewizja Polska SA and state owned company KGHM Polska Miedź SA.

We call on the pursuers to stop the legal threats, which fit the definition of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) and are aimed at stifling legitimate criticism and independent journalism.

As part of MFRR we have contributed €15,000 to support the outlet’s legal defence

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Turkey: Alarming plans to further crackdown on social media

Turkey: Alarming plans to further crackdown on social media

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners are alarmed by the Turkish President’s threats to further restrict or shut down social media. We call on Turkey to comply with its international obligations and refrain from measures that will further prevent and disrupt exercising the right to freedom of expression and information online.

On 1 July 2020, AKP Chair and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that his party will draft a bill to either control or completely shut down social media in Turkey. The threat came after Erdoğan’s daughter and son-in-law received insulting messages on Twitter after announcing the birth of their new child, which resulted in a number of detentions.

The Turkish media landscape is already dominated by heavily pro-government outlets. More than one hundred media outlets have been shut down since the 2016 coup attempt. The remaining few independent media outlets are often threatened with closure, intimidation and fines. Hundreds of journalists are facing investigations and trials, while at least 93 journalists and media workers are still in prison mostly over terrorism-related charges or convictions. This has left social media as one of the few independent avenues available for free expression.

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Montenegro: all charges must be dropped against investigative journalist…

Montenegro: All charges against investigative journalist Jovo Martinović must be dropped

Retrial of Jovo Martinović continues on 6 July – As part of the MFRR, ECPMF expresses renewed concern about situation of media freedom in Montenegro

A specialist in covering organised crime for leading international media, investigative journalist Jovo Martinović was convicted to an 18-month prison sentence by the High Court of Montenegro, on 15 January 2019 despite overwhelming evidence that his only links with organised crime were those of a reporter.

Throughout the detention and subsequent trial, his rights to a fair trial have been violated. Prior to his arrest on 22 October 2015, Martinović had already been held in custody for almost 15 months before being finally freed, provisionally. The retrial formally began on 2 Dec 2019, with a new hearing scheduled for Monday, 6 July 2020, 9 a.m. The retrial hearing takes place in the judges office and is open to public.

We think it is crucial to show public support and international solidarity for Jovo Martinović.

ECPMF, as part of the MFRR, calls on international and local bodies to attend the hearing on 6 July, and, even more importantly, the hearing of the closing statements.

ECPMF reiterates its call on Montenegrin authorities to acquit the investigative journalist and drop all charges against Martinović.

UPDATE 7 July 2020: as the fellow-defendant fell sick, the hearing was postponed to 15 September 2020.

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Bulgarian media owner is threatened with prison term for…

Bulgarian media owner is threatened with prison term for expressing opinion

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partner, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), is concerned about the ongoing legal harassment of Bulgarian media owner and businessman, Ivo Prokopiev and his media group Economedia, ahead of an expected court verdict on Sunday 28 June 2020.

Ivo Prokopiev, the owner of Economedia is currently on trial at the Specialized Criminal Court in Bulgaria in relation to the privatization of a minority stake in an energy company. He is accused of expressing his opinion in public and has been threatened with arrest by the lead case prosecutor.

Economedia publishes Capital weekly and Dnevnik.bg, both considered as independent and professional journalistic outlets in a media environment dominated by state-affiliated outlets and media companies. Their published investigations over the past decade had uncovered increasing corruption in Bulgaria and concerted efforts to silence independent voices in media and politics.

The statement calls on the Court to make their judgment independent of any political pressure or interference and local authorities to stop the ongoing institutional and legal harassment of Ivo Prokopiev and Economedia.

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Slovak journalist continuing investigative work of Ján Kuciak receives…

Slovak journalist continuing investigative work of Ján Kuciak receives bullet in mailbox

The MFRR welcomes swift investigation announced by Slovak authorities

Police in Slovakia must thoroughly investigate a possible death threat issued against an investigative reporter at Slovak online news outlet Aktuality.sk, the International Press Institute (IPI) said today.

On the morning of Thursday, June 25, Aktuality investigative journalist Peter Sabo awoke to find a pistol bullet in the mailbox of the Bratislava apartment where he lives with his wife, according to the outlet’s editor and media reports.

Aktuality is the online newspaper that Slovak investigative reporter Ján Kuciak worked for before he was shot and killed alongside his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová, in 2018. The murder weapon was a pistol.