Turkey’s new internet restrictions — rushed through in early September — spell trouble for the country’s press. Catherine Stupp reports.
Turkey: Erdogan tightens the digital screws on free expression
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CATEGORY: Mapping Media Freedom
Curacao journalists’ lonely and dangerous battle against corruption
The Dutch Caribbean island is far behind on press freedom, writes Mitra Nazar
Germany: Vandals lash out against local newspaper for reporting on right-wing extremists
On the night of September 4-5, the daily newspaper Lausitzer Rundschau became victim to a crime by now familiar to its employees. Catherine Stupp reports.
Macedonian journalists alarmed over government’s attempts to control private media
In Macedonia, concerns have been raised over the new round of amendments to the Law on Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (LAAMS). Christina Vasilaki reports
Bulgaria: Disputed sections of “bank censorship” proposal axed
Bulgarian journalists covering the financial beat can breathe freely as the most controversial parts of the so-called “bank censorship” amendment to the Criminal Code have been removed by the legal committee of the National Assembly. Zoltan Sipos reports
Assaults against journalists rise in Turkey
Since the beginning of this year, cases of assault against journalists, legal threats and lay offs worsened Turkey’s already precarious state of press freedom. Catherine Stupp reports
Montenegro: Impunity is biggest threat to media freedom
Seven years after the brutal attack that nearly took the life of journalist Tufik Softic, Montenegrin police detained two men suspected of involvement of his attempted murder. For media unions and observers, the detentions were long overdue, but emblematic of the atmosphere of impunity in Montenegro.
Hungary: Council of Europe shares concern over NGO audits
Hungarian NGOs are facing a rough summer: The Government Control Office (KEHI) has launched a series of investigations into grants they received from the Norway Financial Mechanism.
Journalists covering MH17 threatened by separatists
Separatists in East Ukraine threatened a Dutch journalist who was reporting on the Malaysia Airlines MH17 disaster.
Egypt: Sentenced Dutch journalist “will not rest” until colleagues are free
Dutch journalist Rena Netjes was sentenced in absentia to ten years in prison in Egypt. The Egyptian government’s case against her and other journalists generated media interest from around the world. Mitra Nazar reports
Macedonia: Journalist arrested while covering rally in Skopje
Besim Ibrahimi, intern for the Albanian-language newspaper Lajm, was arrested on Saturday, 5 July during a rally against the jailing of alleged extremist ethnic Albanian Muslims for the “terrorist” murders of ethnic Macedonians.
Changes at France Culture bring accusations of censorship
The decision not to air the last episode of Du Jour au Lendermain and recent budget cuts have critics up in arms over changes to the cultural arm of France Radio. Valeria Costa-Kostritsky reports
Mapping Media Freedom – a major Index on Censorship project and a joint undertaking with the European Federation of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, partially funded by the European Commission – covers 42 countries, including all EU member states, plus Bosnia, Iceland, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Albania along with Ukraine, Belarus and Russia in (added in April 2015), and Azerbaijan (added in February 2016). The platform was launched in May 2014 and has recorded over 3,000 incidents threatening media freedom.
Violations, censorship and needs of threatened journalists in Europe
Journalists and media workers are confronting relentless pressure simply for doing their job. Mapping Media Freedom identifies threats, violations and limitations faced by members of the press throughout European Union member states, candidates for entry and neighbouring countries. Learn more.
