13:00 – 13:45 CET

Day 2 of the Summit will open with an introductory video message from Věra Jourová, Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency. This will be followed by a keynote from Matthew Caruana Galizia, investigative journalist and director of the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation. 

Speaker:

• Marie Frenay, Member of Cabinet of Věra Jourová, European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency
• Matthew Caruana Galizia, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and software engineer and Director of the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation

14:00 – 14:45 CET

Across Europe, powerful and thin-skinned elites use Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) to threaten journalists and outlets into silence and stifle public debate and democratic participation by abusing the law. Recognition of the need to tackle this threat at the domestic level and as a regional phenomenon is growing, however. In addition to hearing from journalists who face SLAPPs, this panel will discuss the latest legislative and policy developments at the European Union and Council of Europe levels.

For the introductory case study, we will hear from a spokesperson for Luhze, a Leipzig students’ newspaper. They faced vexatious legal action from a real estate company, who accused the student outlet of spreading false claims in relation to their reporting about the company’s business model.

Speakers:

• Sarah Clarke, Head of Europe and Central Asia at ARTICLE 19 (Chair)
• Flutura Kusari, Senior Legal Adviser at ECPMF
• Miquel Roig and Angel Villarino, Deputy Editor and Deputy Director at El Confidencial
• Giulia Lucchese, Secretary of the Expert Committee on SLAPPs, Council of Europe

Case study

• Julia Nebel, Luhze Newspaper

15:30 – 16:15 CET

How can journalists force governments to disclose information? Freedom of Information Acts are usually described as the main legal tool to request data held by public authorities. However, public bodies do not always answer these requests and many petitions are challenged before the Courts. The panel will offer an overview of the most common difficulties faced by journalists when using these pieces of legislation, and will also focus on the main steps that could be taken to ensure that information is published when requested.

Alexander Fanta, journalist at Netzpolitik.org, will speak about his demand for transparency surrounding text messages between EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer’s CEO Albert Bourla regarding the deal to buy 1.8 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccine. The panel will also include other recent cases in which journalists have resorted to Freedom of Information Acts to demand information about public interest topics such as minutes of judicial meetings and algorithms used in decision-making processes.

Speakers:

• Neus Vidal, Monitoring Officer at the European Centre for Press Freedom (Chair)
• Helen Darbishire, Executive Director at AccessInfo Europe (UK)
• Miguel Ángel Gavilanes, Journalist at Civio (Spain)
• Besar Likmeta, Editor-in-chief at Reporter.al (BIRN, Albania)

Case study

• Alexander Fanta, Netzpolitik (Belgium)

16:30 – 16:50 CET

In the second spotlight interview of the 2022 MFRR Summit, Vladimir Motorin, Editor-in-Chief of the TV Rain website, will discuss the ongoing oppression of independent journalism in Russia and his experience with Dozhd, also known as TV Rain, an independent Russian television channel.

Host:

• Lutz Kinkel, Managing Director at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

Speaker

• Vladimir Motorin, Editor-in-Chief of the TV Rain website

17:00 – 18:00 CET

Join our workshop to discover PRESSProtect, our new website that gathers different support offers from organisations all over the world for journalists and media workers in distress! Learn how to navigate the platform, dedicated to connecting journalists in Europe with supporting organisations.

PRESSProtect also gives an insight into the direct support the MFRR can provide. Get the opportunity to talk with the people behind our legal, practical and relocation support, to give us your feedback and to ask your questions.

Speakers:

• Guusje Somer, FPU (Chair)
• Tabea Caspary, Legal Assistant, ECPMF
• Tomas A. Chang Pico, Senior Programme Officer, FPU
• Alina Toropova, Journalists-in-Residence Programme Manager, ECPMF
• Katrin Schatz, Project Manager Practical Support, ECPMF

13:00 – 13:45 CET

The MFRR Summit 2022 will open with an intro message from Laurens Hueting, Senior Advocacy Officer at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF). This will be followed by a keynote address by Roberto Saviano.

Saviano is an Italian journalist, writer and screenwriter who uses literature and investigative reporting to tell the story of organised crime. He has been living under police protection since 2006.

Speakers:

• Roberto Saviano, writer, author of Gomorrah and ZeroZeroZero (Italy)

14:00 – 14:45 CET

Demonstrations remain flashpoints for media freedom violations across the region, as reporters continue to be faced with physical violence and verbal harassment from protesters and the police alike. The central question in this session is: how do we move towards a Europe where the realisation of the right to protest and the safety of journalists go hand-in-hand?

After an introductory case study on Emma Audrey’s experience we will hear from the panel, chaired by Renate Schroeder with Monique Hofmann, Tony Rigopoulos and Peter Smets who will discuss their perspectives.

Speakers:

• Renate Schroeder, Director of the European Federation of Journalists (Chair)
• Monique Hofmann, Managing Director of the German Journalists Union (dju) in ver.di (Germany)
  
• Tony Rigopoulos, Editor-in-Chief of Kouti Pandoras and journalist with Documento (Greece)
• Peter Smets, President of the European Federation of Police Unions EU.pol (Belgium)

Case study:

• Emma Audrey, Radio Bip

15:30 – 16:15 CET

The digital space is one of the most common places where journalists are subjected to attacks and harassment in connection to their work. And while the threats and attacks take place in a digital setting, the implications of such actions affect the physical lives and mental health of the targeted journalists.

Following an introductory case study from an affected journalist, the session will continue with a panel discussion chaired by MFRR Coordinator Gürkan Özturan, with Guilherme Canela De Souza Godoi, who will present the ICFJ-UNESCO Global Study on Online Violence Against Women Journalists and Flora Schulte Nordholt, who will talk about the work of the Coalition Against Online Violence.

Speakers:

• Gürkan Özturan, MFRR Coordinator at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (Chair)
• Guilherme Canela De Souza Godoi, Chief of Section – Freedom of Expression and Journalists Safety at UNESCO 
• Flora Schulte Nordholt, Policy and Advocacy Officer at Free Press Unlimited
• Sitara Thalia Ambrosio, photojournalist and visual storyteller

Case study:

• Burcu Karakaş, Journalist at Deutsche Welle

16:30 – 16:50 CET

In the first spotlight interview of the MFRR Summit 2022, MFRR Coordinator Gürkan Özturan spoke to Sevgil Musaieva, a Ukrainian journalist and the Editor-in-Chief of Ukrayinska Pravda, about the specific challenges of practicing journalism during times of war.

Host:

• Gürkan Özturan, MFRR Coordinator at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom

Speaker:

• Sevgil Musaieva, Ukrainian journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Ukrayinska Pravda.

17:00 – 18:00 CET

Many journalists experience online abuse because of their work, from harassing comments on social media to direct threats and coordinated smear campaigns designed to silence freedom of speech. It takes its toll: Many who are affected by this feel insecurity, stress and depression, and it may in the long run lead to self-censorship. This introductory session will provide journalists with a global view of how online harassment plays out globally as well as providing journalists with practical tips to better protect themselves. Participants are encouraged to ask questions throughout the session.

Ela Stapley is a former journalist turned digital security adviser and founder of Siskin Labs. She works with journalists around the world to help them be better protected against digital threats.

Host:

• Ela Palmer Stapley, Digital Safety Consultant