France: MFRR partners and RSF to carry out media…

France: MFRR partners and RSF to carry out media freedom mission in Paris

Partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), together with Reporters Without Borders (RSF), will travel to Paris from 9 to 11 June 2026 to assess the current state of media freedom in France less than a year before the presidential elections.

04.06.2026

en français

While France’s legal and regulatory framework is generally supportive of media freedom, there has been an alarming increase in the number and severity of attacks documented on journalists and media outlets in recent years. As of 3 June 2026, 376 violations of press freedom affecting 590 media professionals had been documented since 2023 on Mapping Media Freedom database. In 2025, the most frequent type of attacks were verbal abuse (40.6%), followed by interference (26%), legal threats (19%), physical attacks (18%), and attacks on property (12%). In the absence of adequate legislation, media concentration continues to increase, and the safeguards designed to ensure genuine protection of journalistic sources have proven to be insufficient.

Led by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and joined by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), ARTICLE 19 Europe, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), and the International Press Institute (IPI), the mission will engage with journalists, government officials, legal experts, civil society organisations, including the French observatory OFALP, official partner of the MFRR, to evaluate the critical threats to media freedom. It is organised with the support of local partners, the journalists’ trade unions SNJ, SNJ-CGT, and CFDT-Journalistes.

Key areas of concern

The mission will focus on the following key areas of concern:

Attacks on public service media: France Télévisions faced unprecedented funding cuts in 2025, leading to layoffs, reduced programming and fears of political influence over editorial content, as funding became the subject of growing debate. A parliamentary inquiry into the “neutrality, operation, and funding of public broadcasting” led to 70 recommendations which were strongly criticised as a political attempt to discredit and undermine the role of public service media.
Stalled EMFA implementation: France has yet to align with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which entered into force in August 2025 and provides mechanisms to protect media independence and pluralism. Key provisions remain unimplemented, including requirements for transparency on media ownership and funding, safeguards against political interference in the appointment and dismissal of public service media leadership, and protections for editorial independence.
Media landscape highly concentrated in the hands of a few billionaires: Multimillionnaire Vincent Bolloré, in particular, has built a media empire that has expanded significantly in the run-up to the 2027 presidential elections, exercising direct control over a dominant share of French televisions (CNews, most-watched TV channel in 2025), radio (Europe 1), publishing houses and advertising, with an editorial policy aligned with the far-right. The current law is considered outdated and ineffective in preventing such concentration.
Rising cases of SLAPPs: Recent cases of defamation lawsuits have shown that Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are increasingly used to silence journalists and undermine media outlets. On 7 May, a new decree transposing the European Union’s anti-SLAPP directive was adopted with minimal protections and without parliamentary debate, demonstrating a lack of ambition to protect journalists from judicial harassment.
Weak law on protection of sources. The vague wording of the 2010 legislation coupled with weak safeguards, has enabled judicial harassment against journalists. Two recent cases raised concerns about source protection: Ariane Lavrilleux of Disclose and Philippe Miller of Warning Trading.
Journalists at risk during protests. Physical safety of journalists remains a persistent concern. As of 3 June, 20 journalists have been assaulted by law enforcement officers, since 2025, despite clearly identifying themselves as members of the press. Seven journalists suffered injuries, including photojournalist Anna Margueritat who was struck in the face, following a police charge on 1 May. Most recently, freelance journalist Enzo Rabouy was hit with a baton and left unconscious while filming the violent clashes after the Champions League final in Paris – another stark reminder of the risks journalists face while covering demonstrations. Seriously injured, police officers provided him with first aid.

A detailed statement will be produced shortly after the mission sharing the preliminary findings. Following the mission, the coalition will also publish a report based on the mission findings, which will include recommendations.

Media inquiries: Camille Petit, camille@europeanjournalists.org; Camille Magnissalis, cmagnissalis@europeanjournalists.org.

France : La liberté de la presse au coeur de la mission organisée par les partenaires du MFRR et RSF à Paris du 9 au 11 juin

Les organisations partenaires du Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), en collaboration avec Reporters sans frontières (RSF), se rendront à Paris du 9 au 11 juin 2026 afin d’évaluer l’état actuel de la liberté de la presse en France, à moins d’un an de l’élection présidentielle.

Si le cadre juridique et réglementaire français est globalement favorable à la liberté de la presse, on constate depuis quelques années une forte augmentation du nombre et de la gravité des attaques visant des journalistes et des médias. Au 3 juin 2026, 376 violations de la liberté de la presse touchant 590 professionnels des médias ont été documentées sur la plateforme Mapping Media Freedom depuis 2023. En 2025, les agressions verbales (40,6 %) constituaient le type d’attaque le plus fréquent, suivies par les ingérences (26 %), les menaces judiciaires (19 %), les agressions physiques (18 %) et les atteintes aux biens (12 %). En l’absence d’une législation adéquate, la concentration des médias continue de s’accroître et les garanties destinées à assurer une véritable protection des sources journalistiques se sont révélées insuffisantes.

Portée par la Fédération européenne des journalistes (FEJ), en collaboration avec Reporters sans frontières (RSF), ARTICLE 19 Europe, le Centre européen pour la liberté de la presse et des médias (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU) et l’Institut international de la presse (IPI), la mission consultera des journalistes, des responsables gouvernementaux, des experts et des organisations de la société civile, dont Observatoire français des atteintes à la liberté de la presse (OFALP) partenaire officiel du consortium Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), afin d’évaluer les menaces majeures qui pèsent sur la liberté de la presse. La mission est organisée avec le soutien de partenaires locaux, les syndicats de journalistes SNJ, SNJ-CGT et CFDT-Journalistes.

Principaux sujets de préoccupation

La mission se concentrera sur les principaux sujets de préoccupation suivants :

- Attaques contre les médias de service public. France Télévisions a été confrontée à des coupes budgétaires sans précédent en 2025, entraînant des licenciements, une réduction de la programmation et des craintes d’ingérence politique sur le contenu éditorial, alors que le financement faisait l’objet d’un débat de plus en plus vif. Une enquête parlementaire sur « la neutralité, le fonctionnement et le financement de l’audiovisuel public » a donné lieu à 70 recommandations qui ont été vivement critiquées comme une tentative politique visant à discréditer et à affaiblir le rôle des médias de service public.

Transposition de l’EMFA à la peine. La France peine à mettre en œuvre le règlement européen sur la liberté des médias (EMFA), entré en vigueur en août 2025. Ce texte vise à protéger l’indépendance et la pluralité des médias. Certaines dispositions clés, telles que les exigences en matière de transparence concernant la gouvernance et le financement des médias, les garanties contre l’ingérence politique dans la nomination et la destitution des dirigeants des services publics de médias, ainsi que les protections de l’indépendance éditoriale, n’ont pas encore été mises en œuvre.

Un paysage médiatique fortement concentré entre les mains de milliardaires. Le multimillionnaire Vincent Bolloré, en particulier, a bâti un empire médiatique qui s’est considérablement développé à l’approche des élections présidentielles de 2027, exerçant un contrôle direct sur une part prépondérante des chaînes de télévision françaises (CNews, première chaîne de télévision en termes d’audience en 2025), de la radio (Europe 1), des maisons d’édition et de la publicité, avec une ligne éditoriale alignée sur l’extrême droite. La législation actuelle est considérée comme obsolète et inefficace pour empêcher une telle concentration.

- Les “procédures-bâillon” en hausse. Des affaires récentes de poursuites pour diffamation ont montré que les procédures abusives, appelées « procédures bâillon » (SLAPPs), sont de plus en plus utilisées pour réduire les journalistes au silence et affaiblir les médias. Le 7 mai, un nouveau décret transposant la directive anti-SLAPP de l’Union européenne a été adopté avec des garanties minimales, sans débat parlementaire, traduisant ainsi un manque d’ambition dans la protection des journalistes contre le harcèlement judiciaire.

Une législation insuffisante en matière de protection des sources. La formulation vague de la loi de 2010, combinée à des garanties insuffisantes, a ouvert la voie à des poursuites judiciaires abusives à l’encontre de journalistes. Deux affaires récentes ont suscité des inquiétudes quant à la protection des sources : celles d‘Ariane Lavrilleux, de Disclose, et de Philippe Miller, de Warning Trading.

Risques encourus par les journalistes lors des manifestations. La sécurité physique des journalistes reste une préoccupation constante. Au 3 juin, 20 journalistes ont été agressés par des agents des forces de l’ordre depuis 2025, alors qu’ils étaient clairement identifiés comme membres de la presse. Sept journalistes ont été blessés, dont la photojournaliste Anna Margueritat, qui a été frappée au visage lors d’une charge de la police le 1er mai. Plus récemment, le journaliste indépendant Enzo Rabouy a été frappé à coups de matraque et a été laissé inconscient alors qu’il filmait les violents affrontements qui ont suivi la finale de la Ligue des champions à Paris – un autre rappel brutal des risques auxquels sont exposés les journalistes lorsqu’ils couvrent des manifestations. Gravement blessé, il a reçu les premiers soins de la part des agents de police.

Un communiqué détaillant les conclusions préliminaires sera publié après la mission. Le MFRR et RSF publieront également un rapport s’appuyant sur les conclusions de la mission et incluant des recommandations.

Contact presse : Camille Petit, camille@europeanjournalists.org; Camille Magnissalis, cmagnissalis@europeanjournalists.org

This mission is being coordinated by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

Turkey: MFRR consortium and partner organisations call for the…

Turkey: MFRR consortium and partner organisations call for the release of journalist İsmail Arı ahead of June 5 court hearing

The undersigned press freedom, freedom of expression, journalists’ and human rights organisations call for the immediate release of BirGün journalist İsmail Arı, who has been behind bars for 75 days. Arı is due to appear before an Ankara court on June 5, after being jailed under Turkey’s so-called “disinformation law” in connection with his investigative journalism. Media Freedom Rapid Response’s (MFRR) monitoring database Mapping Media Freedom reports 55 cases related to disinformation, including that of İsmail Arı, since the introduction of Disinformation Law in 2022.

05.06.2026

Arı was detained in the Turhal district of Tokat province on March 21, where he had travelled to visit family during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, and was subsequently transferred to Ankara. The investigation, conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, includes charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information” under Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code and “insulting a public official,” under Article 125. Following the investigation, Arı was formally arrested.

The investigation file is built primarily around Arı’s journalistic work, including his published reports, social media posts, and attendance at public events, making clear that Turkish authorities are treating routine journalistic activity as criminal evidence. Covering stories, speaking with sources, and investigating matters of public interest are not criminal acts.

Turkey’s disinformation law is structurally incompatible with international press freedom standards. Its vague wording fails to clearly define what constitutes “untrue information” or to specify what type of content poses a threat to national security or public order, handing authorities broad discretion to weaponise the law against independent journalism and intimidate reporters.

Arı’s arrest earlier this year is not the first time the journalist has been targeted for his work. Last year, Arı received direct threats following his reporting on the “Şahinler” organised crime network and an article he wrote about alleged judicial bribery. These threats, sent from an unknown foreign number, included not only direct messages targeting him personally, but also a list of information about his relatives. At least one family member also received direct threats.

Following the threats, Arı filed complaints with the police and the Ministry of Interior. Despite the seriousness of the incident, the police only provided him with a 90-day “caution protection” number to report further incidents.

We call on Turkish authorities to:

Immediately and unconditionally release İsmail Arı at the hearing in Ankara on June 5,
Repeal Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code in its entirety,
Bring all legislation regulating freedom of expression into line with Turkey’s international obligations.

Signed by:

International Press Institute (IPI)
Articolo 21
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
Foreign Media Association Turkey (FMA)
Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA)
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
PEN International
PEN Norway
PEN Sweden
Progressive Journalists Association (ÇGD)
P24 Platform for Independent Journalism
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
Wales PEN Cymru

This statement was coordinated by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

Serbia: Solidarity with Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation following another setback…

Serbia: Solidarity with Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation following another setback in its quest for justice

The undersigned media freedom and journalist organisations stand in full solidarity with the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation, which has been ordered to pay over one million dinars (€8,812) in damages in a defamation case brought by those acquitted of the murder of the Serbian editor and newspaper founder, Slavko Ćuruvija. For 27 years, the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation has fought for justice for the assassination of Ćuruvija, who was gunned down outside his apartment in Belgrade in 1999.

19.05.2026

On 15 May 2026, the Second Basic Court in Belgrade ruled that the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation had defamed Milan Radonjić, Ratko Romić and Miroslav Kurak. The three men were previously convicted of Ćuruvija’s murder before the landmark ruling was controversially overturned in February 2024, leaving the murder case in a state of total impunity.

Following the ruling, the Foundation published a statement entitled “A Country That Does Not Punish Murderers Has No Future”, criticising the acquittal and renewing the call for justice. The former defendants sued the Foundation for allegedly violating their honour and reputation, and causing them non-material damage in the form of emotional distress.

The Court of Appeal judgment in Ćuruvija’s case, criticised by the Foundation, was ultimately determined by the Supreme Court as containing substantial violations of the criminal procedure of Serbia.

In its ruling, the Second Basic Court in Belgrade ruled against the Foundation and ordered them to pay a total of 1,035,000 dinars (€8,812) in damages. This included €1,700 to each plaintiff in compensation, and €979,2 in additional legal costs, according to reports. The Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation announced they will appeal the first instance’s ruling.

The undersigned organisations raise concern that this amount is disproportionately higher than damages in similar defamation cases. We are concerned that the scale of damages will dissuade others from investigating or publicly addressing Ćuruvija’s murder and the family’s fight against impunity.

This judgement not only highlights the failure of the judicial system to bring those responsible for the murder of Slavko Ćuruvija to justice, but disproportionately weakens the Foundation’s efforts to combat impunity in cases of journalist killings in Serbia and to preserve Ćuruvija’s legacy.

During a recent mission to Serbia on 26–27 March, partners of the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Safety of Journalists and the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) met with the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation and Ćuruvija’s daughter, who told the delegation about the double injustice of being denied justice for 27 years and now being on the defendant’s bench themselves.

To conclude the mission, a symbolic press conference was held at the site of Ćuruvija’s murder, during which the delegation urged Serbian officials to put an end to the spiral of violence, before attacks on journalists lead to another tragedy. In the coming weeks, a mission report will be published, including a set of recommendations for both the Serbian authorities and the international community.

Ranked 104th out of 180 countries in the 2026 RSF World Press Freedom Index, media freedom in Serbia has reached a new historical low. From January to 19 May 2026, 91 attacks on journalists have already been documented on the Mapping Media Freedom platform, representing nearly half of all attacks recorded for 2025. These numbers confirm the continuing decline of journalists’ safety in Serbia, given the record surge of cases of attacks against journalists recorded last year by the platform. Amidst severe democratic backsliding, a letter signed by ten organisations was sent last week to a group of European Affairs ministers in support of the call to suspend EU funds to Serbia, as suggested by EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos.

At this critical time, when journalists are facing unprecedented pressure, the authorities, including the judiciary, must urgently protect them from intimidation by ensuring that justice is served and that their right to press freedom and freedom of expression is preserved.

The undersigned organisations express their full solidarity with the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation and with the journalist’s family.

Signed by:

European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
ARTICLE 19 Europe
International Press Institute (IPI)
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
Index on Censorship
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
PEN International

Greece: Abusive lawsuit against independent newsrooms should be dismissed

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners condemn the filing of abusive legal action by Air Mediterranean against the Greek investigative newsroom Mediterranean Institute for Investigative Reporting (MIIR), the newspaper Efimerida ton Syntakton (EfSyn) as well as their editors and directors.

13.05.2026

Our organisations, which have long documented legal threats against media in Europe, today urge the Court of First Instance of Athens to treat the lawsuit by Air Mediterranean as an abusive lawsuit and to uphold European press freedom standards when assessing the case during the upcoming hearing on 21 May 2026.

MFRR partners regret that although the Greek government has indicated some level of preparation for the transposition of the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive, no concrete legislative amendments were adopted before the 7 May deadline.

Now that the deadline has passed, we urge the Greek authorities to take decisive action to ensure the EU Directive’s swift and effective implementation into national law. Reform of the civil code should also strengthen safeguards against domestic Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) which aim to silence quality public-interest journalism.

The lawsuit stems from a cross-border investigation by MIIR and its partners entitled “The Mediterranean Wings of the Underworld”, published in August 2025. Air Mediterranean, an Athens-based international airline company, initiated legal proceedings seven months later, targeting MIIR, EfSyn and the journalists who worked on the report. MIIR is a non-profit organisation with a reputation for hard hitting investigative data journalism and EfSyn is one of the major independent dailies in Greece.

The legal action followed an earlier complaint submitted by the airline’s legal representatives in August 2025, in which it rejected the reporting as “false and defamatory” and denied any links to criminal activity. In response, MIIR and EfSyn stated that the company had been given multiple opportunities to respond prior to publication in line with the applicable journalistic ethical standards and emphasised that the investigation adhered to journalistic standards and addressed issues of clear public interest.

The cross-border investigation was supported by Journalismfund Europe and published jointly by MIIR and Siraj (Syria), Daraj (Lebanon), VoxEurop (France and Belgium), and L’Espresso (Italy). It examined alleged links between the private Greek airline Air Mediterranean and individuals involved in arms, drug and migrant trafficking. It also raised serious questions about the oversight abilities of Greek, Italian and EU authorities.

Air Mediterranean targeted only the two Greek media outlets involved in the cross-border collaborations, while all four other media partners were excluded from litigation.

MFRR observes that Air Mediterranean’s lawsuit bears several hallmarks of a SLAPP: the amount of damages requested is excessive (EUR 100,000 jointly); there is an imbalance of power between the defendants and the claimant, given the company’s financial resources; and the lawsuit also appears to be aimed at suppressing public interest information.

Our organisations stand in solidarity with the teams at MIIR and EfSyn and remain committed to supporting them as the case progresses. We also express our solidarity with journalists in Greece who are repeatedly subjected to vexatious lawsuits intended to intimidate, create a chilling effect, and deter reporting on matters of clear public interest.

For years, Greece has been considered a high-risk country in Europe for SLAPPs. While some high-profile lawsuits against journalists in recent years have been dismissed, others continue to be fought, as in the case of Alterthess.

Overall, this lawsuit demonstrates the urgent need for robust anti-SLAPP legislation in Greece, which covers both cross-border cases, as foreseen within the EU’s Anti-SLAPP Directive, but also wider protections against domestic SLAPP cases, as outlined in the Council of Europe’s 2024 Recommendation on SLAPPs.

Our organisations hope to see this lawsuit against MIIR, EfSyn and the journalists thrown out. We will continue to monitor this case and respond to further developments.

Signed by:

International Press Institute (IPI)
European Center for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)

Serbia: 10 organisations ask Ministers for European Affairs to…

Serbia: 10 organisations ask Ministers for European Affairs to draw a red line on media freedom

EU Member States must show political leadership and join calls for the suspension of EU funds to Serbia to prevent the spiral of violence against journalists from escalating into deadly attacks, 10 media and press freedom organisations said on Friday in a series of letters sent to a group of Ministers for European Affairs across Europe.

11 May 2026

The organisations highlight the shocking numbers of physical, legal and online attacks against journalists as recorded on international monitoring platforms since November 2024, a level of persistent violence against media that is rare in any EU member state or candidate country. Since the outbreak of nation-wide protests in November 2024 and the heavy-handed state response, our organisations conducted multiple missions to Belgrade, observing that the situation continues to worsen rapidly.

The organisations furthermore warn that the Serbian government and high-level politicians have been, and continue to be, a driving factor behind this significant surge in attacks, and the wider media freedom decline. They point at the enabling environment created by the public vilification of journalists by high level public figures from the ruling party, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, violence against journalists by police officers, and almost complete lack of intervention and prosecution during and following attacks on journalists. While authorities confirm that physical attacks against journalists increased by 367% in 2025, only three convictions were secured during that period.

The labeling of journalists with dehumanising and inflammatory terms such as “insects”, “non-humans,” “terrorists,” and “traitors” by political actors has translated into the incitement of hatred in society against individual journalists. A smear campaign in March 2026, broadcast on national TV, targeted over 45 journalists as “enemies of the state”, baselessly accusing them of betraying their country and explicitly referencing previous murders of journalists in Serbia. Combined with the rising physical attacks, the lack of protection, and the unwillingness of the state to hold perpetrators to account, the organizations note that they observe all of the ingredients known to further drive violence against the media and warn that this may soon lead to grave or even deadly attacks against members of the press if urgent and concrete action is not taken.

The letter calls upon Ministers of European Affairs, who came together for an informal gathering in Brussels this weekend, to support the call for the suspension of EU funds to Serbia as suggested by EU Commissioner Kos, who proposes to withhold EU funds in response to the sustained democratic backsliding and the government’s close ties with Russia. The Ministers were asked to swiftly and publicly demand the Serbian authorities to take action against the dangerous climate of violence and repression towards journalists.

The letters also called on EU Member States to demand Serbian authorities to take action against the dangerous climate of violence and repression towards journalists. This includes: immediately halting open attacks against journalists and smear campaigns; effectively addressing impunity for all crimes against journalists; reforming law enforcement, including improving journalist protection at protests and ending arbitrary surveillance; and putting in place meaningful and effective institutional and legal measures to guarantee better protection for journalists, including addressing Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.

Signed by:

Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
ARTICLE 19 Europe
Association of European Journalists (AEJ)
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Index on Censorship
International Press Institute (IPI)
Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Albania: Fresh concerns over journalist’s safety following suspected arson…

Albania: Fresh concerns over journalist’s safety following suspected arson attack

The International Press Institute (IPI) condemns the suspected arson attack which destroyed the car of journalist Sami Curri and calls on Albanian authorities to carry out a thorough investigation to establish the motive and bring those responsible to justice.

07.05.2026

The blaze, which is currently being treated by police as a suspected arson attack, has raised fresh concerns about the climate for the safety of journalists carrying out investigative journalism in Albania.

On the night of April 26, the journalist’s car was set on fire and destroyed while parked 30 meters away from his residence in Bulqizë, northeastern Albania. Curri is the owner of Bulqizaime.al, a local investigative media outlet in the Dibër region that reports on public interest topics including abuse of public funds, protests and environmental affairs.

The fire was discovered by nearby residents shortly before 3am and the police and fire brigade arrived soon after. Preliminary investigations found no injuries or damage to nearby property and only Curri’s car was destroyed, indicating a targeted attack.

While the full circumstances of the incident remain unclear, Curri told IPI that he considered the attack “a clear message intended to influence and intimidate” his work. He added: “This was not a random attack, but something that appears to have been ordered and executed deliberately”.

The journalist said this was the first time he experienced such an attack. While he did not receive any direct threats in the lead up to the attack, Curri told IPI he had faced indirect pressures and warnings tied to his recent investigative work that suggested he should refrain from pursuing certain topics.

Albanian law enforcement authorities are currently investigating the incident under the direction of the prosecution and the fire is being treated as an act of intentional arson. As of now, Curri said he had not received any updates regarding concrete results or identified suspects. The journalist is not currently under any formal police protection and has not requested it.

IPI urges Albanian law enforcement to ensure a thorough investigation is conducted that leads to the identification and prosecution of those responsible for what appears to be a targeted act of intimidation against a journalist over their media outlet’s reporting.

IPI also calls on political authorities in Albania, both at the local and national level, to strongly condemn the apparent threat and make clear that any attack on independent journalism will not go unpunished.

Curri told IPI that this attack will not impact his work moving forward. “I consider journalism, especially at the local level and under such conditions, not just a profession but a mission. Despite the many known difficulties, particularly in local environments, it remains a commitment to serve the public interest.”

The case has been recorded on the Mapping Media Freedom platform, which is run by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR). IPI will continue to monitor the case.

This statement was coordinated by IPI as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

As deadline passes, MFRR renews call for urgent transposition…

As deadline passes, MFRR renews call for urgent transposition of EU Anti SLAPP Directive

Today, 7 May 2026, marks the deadline for EU Member States to transpose the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive, also known as Daphne’s law. As we mark this landmark, however, the European Anti-SLAPP Monitor shows a fragmented and uneven picture for transposition across Europe, as the deadline is being missed by nearly all Member States.

07.05.2026

While the Anti-SLAPP Directive marked a significant step forward in protecting journalists and media from abusive litigation, its implementation at the national level remains alarmingly incomplete. Although there are some positive examples, the majority of states are seriously lagging behind and others have made no progress at all.

Today, Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners issue an urgent call to Member States to demonstrate their commitment to media freedom by accelerating their legislative processes and ensuring that national measures fully reflect both the letter and the spirit of the Directive as well as substantive and procedural safeguards set out in in EU and Council of Europe Recommendations. Partial, delayed, or weak implementation will fail to provide effective protection and may allow abusive practices against the press to persist.

Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are abusive legal actions used by powerful individuals or entities to silence journalists and media organisations by burdening them with costly and time-consuming litigation. By creating a chilling effect and imposing significant financial pressure, such lawsuits directly threaten the media’s ability to cover public interest matters such as corruption, environmental harm, and human rights abuses.

The case of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galicia is one of the clearest cases demonstrating how harmful these actions can be. The investigative journalist faced 48 libel suits at the time of her assassination in 2017, many from powerful figures she investigated. She was killed in reprisal for her work, while her case became a catalyst for anti-SLAPP efforts in Europe and the establishment of the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE).

The EU Anti-SLAPP Directive was adopted in April 2024 to protect journalists, the media, and civil society from such lawsuits, ensuring they can continue their watchdog role without fear of legal intimidation. The willingness of the countries, however, to meaningfully transpose this Directive has proven to be limited. In many Member States, authorities refuse to acknowledge the problem of SLAPPs at the national level. Only a handful of countries have begun to implement it, as the European Anti-SLAPP Monitor shows.

France and Malta stand out as few countries classified as “Partially Implemented.” However, these processes have not been ideal, as Malta’s government’s ‘summary transposition’ through a Legal Notice rather than parliamentary process, was widely criticised by Maltese stakeholders as a ‘missed opportunity’ for a meaningful transposition that does justice to the situation of SLAPP targets in Malta.

A majority of Member States including Belgium, Germany, and Netherlands, have formally “Started” the transposition process. Legislative proposals have been drafted, and in some cases advanced through parliamentary stages. However, in most of these countries, concerns exist about the minimum level of transposition envisioned in the draft laws. Only a few countries have expanded the protection of SLAPP-targets in cases without a cross-border element. This is problematic, as only 8.5% of the European SLAPP cases currently are cross-border. As a result, most individuals targeted by SLAPPs continue to face legal uncertainty and insufficient safeguards.

Among these, the Belgian draft law stands out as one of the more progressive transpositions of the Directive. Its legislative approach goes beyond minimum EU requirements by extending protections to domestic cases and introducing key procedural safeguards, such as early dismissal mechanisms and sanctions against abusive claimants. Yet, important gaps remain, particularly regarding SLAPPs in criminal proceedings, which may still allow certain forms of legal harassment to continue. The expansion of SLAPPs into criminal law is a concern in several other Member States where defamation has not been decriminalised, fearing that the anti-SLAPP safeguards in civil cases will lead litigants to pursue criminal cases instead.

At the same time, several countries, including Italy and Hungary have not yet begun transposition. This raises concerns about significant delays and uneven protection for individuals targeted by abusive litigation across Europe.

In some cases, such as Portugal, limited publicly available information makes it difficult to assess the state of implementation, raising additional concerns about transparency and accountability.

Overall, the findings highlight a clear gap between political commitment and practical implementation. While progress is underway in many Member States, the level of protection against SLAPPs remains inconsistent across Europe as the deadline passes, with potential sweeping effects on journalists and their work of public interest.

As we mark the deadline today, the MFRR calls for effective and urgent transposition of the Directive into the national law, with robust safeguards for media freedom. We encourage member states to implement a broad set of measures that go beyond the limits set in the transposition and include domestic cases within the definition of SLAPPs.

We also want to reiterate the importance of transposing the Directive alongside the requirements of the EU Anti-SLAPP Recommendation that has concurrently been adopted, as well as Council of Europe’s Recommendation countering use of SLAPPs which offers broader protections for journalists, media and civil society. Finally, we call on candidate countries to meaningfully engage in this process and start the application of the Directive as a part of their EU path.

MFRR urges Member States and candidate countries to establish, in consultation with civil society organisations, mechanisms to track SLAPP cases and evaluate the Directive’s effectiveness, as well as support mechanisms to ensure targets of SLAPPs can obtain the legal and financial support they require. Media organisations, civil society, and policymakers must work together to resist SLAPPs and defend public interest journalism.

Moving forward, the European Commission should closely monitor progress and be prepared to take swift infringement action where Member States fall short. The Directive must provide broad protections across the bloc, rather than result in a fragmented landscape where safeguards depend on national borders. This should be done promoting a meaningful engagement with the media and civil society.

The transposition of the Anti-SLAPP Directive is a critical step in safeguarding media freedom and the right to public participation, and the states must ensure timely, effective transposition that will serve media and civil society both nationally and across the EU.

Signed by:

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
International Press Institute (IPI)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
ARTICLE 19 Europe

Georgia: An escalating media freedom crisis

Since the contested parliamentary elections in October 2024, Georgia has experienced one of the most rapid and serious deteriorations of press freedom ever seen in an EU member state or candidate country, Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners warn today.

As we mark World Press Freedom Day 2026, our organisations once again draw attention to the plight of independent media and journalists in Georgia, where the Russia-friendly ruling party has continued its intensifying clampdown over the past year. Our thoughts today are particularly with jailed journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, who has now been behind bars for one year and three months on politically motivated charges.

6 May 2026

The Georgian Dream’s erosion of media freedom has been a driving factor in the unprecedented period of democratic backsliding in the country, which on paper remains a candidate for EU accession. Today, our organisations again call for urgent action from the European Union and the international community to support independent media and hold those responsible for this autocratic assault to be held accountable.

Legal and economic harassment of journalists

Since Georgia received EU candidate status in early December 2023, the Mapping Media Freedom Platform, the largest database for media freedom attacks in Europe, has documented 319 media freedom violations, affecting 555 journalists and media organisations, making Georgia one of the countries with the most rapid decline in media freedom in Europe.

In recent months, pressure on independent journalists intensified further, especially for the journalists reporting from rallies. In April, the bank accounts of two journalists including Maka Chikhladze (TV Pirveli) and Liza Tsitsishvili (Formula TV), both from government-critical outlets, were frozen. The freezes were tied to fines the journalists say they were never notified about, issued while they were reporting from rallies in the course of their work.

In 2025 alone, the MFRR documented 36 cases of journalists facing arbitrary fines, including 25 linked to covering demonstrations. In all 25 cases, journalists reported being fined despite clearly identifying themselves as members of the press while carrying out their work.

Since the ruling Georgian Dream party adopted restrictive amendments undermining freedom of expression in October 2025, police have detained dozens of protesters in Tbilisi, including journalists. Under the new legislation, vaguely defined offences such as “artificially blocking a road” or “wearing a mask at a rally” are punishable by up to 15 days of administrative detention, with repeat offences carrying sentences of up to one year in prison.

Following these changes, several journalists from independent media have faced imprisonment of up to 15 days for their reporting on rallies, including Mariam Dzidzaria from Netgazeti, Mariam Kuprava of Tabula, and Ninia Kakabadze from Mediachecker.ge.

Although the complaints against Kuprava and Kakabadze were eventually dropped, proceedings against Dzidzaria remain ongoing, while Kakabadze was required to attend four hearings before the charges were dropped.

Repressive legislation

Since April 2024, the ruling Georgian Dream party has introduced and adopted laws aimed at restricting independent media. Among EU member states and candidate countries, Georgia represents the most far-reaching example of a government abusing repressive legislation, including foreign agent laws, to muzzle free media.

Despite international outcry, the ruling party has not withdrawn any of the repressive measures adopted in 2024 and 2025, including the initial draft of the foreign agent law, the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), amendments to the laws on Grants and Broadcasting and amendments to the Law on Freedom of Speech and Expression.

Instead, in 2026 Parliament has adopted a sweeping new legislative package introducing criminal sanctions for cooperation with international entities or donors. Furthermore, it included an “extremism” provision, punishing acts that “systematically” question the government’s legitimacy with up to three years’ imprisonment for individuals. These legal changes further constrain independent media, as any public activity or campaign of social and political relevance can be assessed as conduct aimed at influencing the government’s domestic or foreign policy and may be treated as a criminal offence.

Safety of journalists and ongoing impunity

Since 2024, the country’s media landscape has grown increasingly hostile and perilous, with journalists exposed to attacks on their physical safety and legal or institutional harassment. With political institutions including the judiciary effectively captured and run by a so-called ‘clan’ connected with the ruling party, impunity for crimes against journalists remains widespread.

Journalists have been subjected to arbitrary detentions and physical assaults. Since 2024, Mapping Media Freedom has documented 63 cases of physical attacks involving 148 journalists. In 60% of these cases, police and state security forces were the perpetrators as the vast majority of cases remain uninvestigated.

In the recent months, journalists including independent media organisation Mtis Ambebi’s journalists and independent journalist David Tchabashvili have received death threats by private individuals.

Georgia must end the cycle of impunity by conducting thorough investigations into all cases of attacks against journalists by police, state security forces as well as private individuals.

Continued imprisonment of Mzia Amaglobeli

The continued imprisonment of Mzia Amaglobeli, co-founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, and the Sakharov Prize Laureate remains deeply alarming. Arrested in January 2025 after an altercation with a police officer during a protest, she was sentenced in August to two years in prison.

Amaglobeli’s parole request was denied on 2 April on the grounds that she “does not repent,” after on 3 March the Supreme Court refused to hear her appeal, exhausting all domestic remedies. Since her arrest, she and her outlets have faced sustained smear campaigns, defamation, degrading treatment, and economic pressure.

Amaglobeli has now spent over a year and three months in prison on politically motivated charges. Her case became a symbol of the fight of independent media against the backdrop of the broader assault on media freedom in Georgia.

Call for urgent action

Deliberate efforts by the ruling Georgian Dream party to erode the freedom of the media and weaken independent and watchdog journalism are central to wider efforts to limit checks and balances on power, stifle dissent and solidify the government’s position. Our organisations and partners have repeatedly called on the international community to respond, support independent media and civil society, and stem the country’s rapid descent into authoritarianism.

Despite repeated calls for sanctions from the European Parliament, the EU has not succeeded in taking steps to reverse Georgia’s growing authoritarianism, including imposing robust sanctions. With the change of government in Hungary, which repeatedly blocked EU sanctions against Georgia under the Fidesz rule, the EU now has an opportunity to move forward with targeted sanctions.

As we mark World Press Freedom Day, our organisations call on Europe not to lose sight of the crackdown on media freedom in Georgia. We also renew our call on the EU to take urgent, coordinated and effective action including sanctioning the leaders of institutions who are responsible for this open crackdown on the country’s free press.

Signed by:

International Press Institute (IPI)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
ARTICLE 19 Europe

World Press Freedom Day: Six years of monitoring reveals…

World Press Freedom Day: Six years of monitoring reveals emerging threats against media freedom in Europe

To mark World Press Freedom Day, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) is today publishing an analysis of six years of monitoring data which reveals in granular detail the most serious challenges and trends threatening freedom of the press in Europe.

5 May 2026

The MFRR consortium first began comprehensive monitoring in 2020 and has become the largest public database of media freedom violations in Europe. Our Mapping Media Freedom (MapMF) platform has now recorded 6092 media freedom violations in Europe affecting more than 10,200 different journalists and media-related entities in EU Member States and nine EU candidate countries.

This monitoring offers a detailed picture of the different threats to journalists and media, where these attacks are occurring, and what new trends have emerged over the past few years that the EU and national governments need to respond to.

Download the fact sheet

Monitoring by MFRR partners includes cases of physical and verbal attacks, attacks against journalistic property and equipment, legal threats and lawsuits, and different forms of interference with journalistic work. This data has informed and shaped the MFRR’s advocacy, reports and missions, and led to MFRR legal and practical support.

During this six year period, media freedom in Europe has faced serious and sustained challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia’s full scale war in Ukraine, the continued rise of the far-right, the erosion of democratic norms worldwide and technological disruption from the emerging AI revolution.

In the past six years, 27 journalists, media workers, media owners or staff guarding media offices have been killed in line of duty or because of their work in European countries monitored by the MFRR. The majority of these deaths (59%) have occurred in Ukraine, with the Russian military as the major perpetrator. Impunity for crimes against journalists remains a central concern for press freedom in Europe.

Almost a fifth of all incidents (1180 cases) recorded by the MFRR were physical attacks (19%). This included 430 serious physical attacks on journalists which resulted in injuries or required medical attention. Most physical attacks were perpetrated by private individuals (59%), while police accounted for 23%. MapMF also documented more than 2000 verbal attacks, including death threats, intimidation, sexual harassment and smear campaigns.

One alarming trend revealed by the data is that the share of media freedom violations per year in which political actors were responsible has increased from 14% in 2020 to 20% in 2025. More than half of these cases (54%) were verbal in nature, indicating a growing use of hostile rhetoric against the press.

An increasing share of media freedom threats in the past six years have come in the digital sphere. One key trend documented during this period has been the emergence of spyware surveillance of journalists, where MapMF has documented 22 alerts affecting 48 journalists and other media actors.

Analysis also shows that women journalists are increasingly affected by digital attacks, with artificial intelligence posing an emerging threat to journalists online. The frequency of such alerts has increased significantly in the past two years. Spoofing including fake websites and AI generated deep fakes was an emerging and increasing trend journalists and media faced, with a total of 109 cases.

Moreover, 1062 violations, affecting 1820 journalists and other media professionals during protests and demonstrations across EU member states and candidate countries show that demonstrations and protests have been the second most dangerous context for journalists and other media professionals in the past period. This underscores the importance of protection mechanisms for journalists and media workers covering these events.

Six years of data also points to sustained challenges in the legal climate for media freedom, where the platform recorded 414 cases of journalists or media workers being arrested, detained or imprisoned. MapMF also recorded 145 criminal charges against the media and nearly 200 civil lawsuits. The project also documented 142 problematic legislative initiatives, including drafts proposals and laws, targeting press freedom in 30 different European countries.

During this period, the MFRR has also tracked the emergence of foreign agent laws in Europe, as well the spread of toxic narratives around foreign funding, especially since 2024. In total, MapMF documented 181 alerts related to foreign agent laws or narratives, affecting 313 journalists or media entities.

As we mark World Press Freedom Day 2026, the MFRR encourages journalists, media researches, policymakers and international organisations to utilise the data. MFRR partners hope this data offers strong, data-based insights into the levels of pressures journalists and media professionals are facing across Europe today to inform policy and decision-making.

MapMF is part of the MFRR and is coordinated by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI). Click here to explore the data in full.

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) is a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries. It is co-funded by the European Commission.

World Press Freedom Day 2026: Serbia’s spiral of violence

4 May, 13:00 CET

To mark the World Press Freedom Day 2026, our webinar will examine the role the European Union can play in responding to Serbia’s deepening media freedom crisis, which has evolved into a self-reinforcing cycle of violence, intimidation, and impunity. Drawing on findings from the March 2026 mission, it will underscore that the situation is no longer episodic but structural, driven by sustained political rhetoric, institutional shortcomings, and the rise of coordinated digital threats.

By situating these developments within a broader European context, the discussion will look at how existing mechanisms have fallen short and where more decisive action may be required. The session is intended to move beyond documentation toward pressure, pinpointing systemic failures and identifying concrete leverage points through which international actors, particularly the EU, can contribute to meaningful change.