News on freedom of expression
Serbian media and justice actors step up co-operation to strengthen privacy protection online
Judges, lawyers, media regulators, data protection authorities, and journalists agreed to improve co-operation on privacy protection in Serbia’s digital media environment, following a two-day Council of Europe event focused on legal standards and practical responses to emerging privacy...
Institutions call for stronger co-ordination to better protect journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Improving co-operation between police and prosecutors, strengthening the role of contact points for journalist safety, and developing a strategic approach to systemic protection of journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina : these were the key conclusions of a conference on the safety of journalists,...
Strengthening co-operation to protect media freedom: legal risks and safeguards discussed in Pristina
The escalating threat posed by Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) has intensified the need for joint action and robust support networks among journalists, media professionals, and legal practitioners. Co-operation at domestic and European levels would be essential to provide...
Albania steps up efforts to meet European standards on media and digital services
As Albania progresses in its legal framework with European standards, including the Digital Services Act (DSA), representatives of the Council of Europe, the European Union and the Albanian Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) gathered in Tirana to discuss key provisions on transparency, user...
Voices from the audience: A deep dive into Serbia’s media needs
What do citizens in Serbia really expect from their media, and who do they trust? A new comprehensive study, “Media User Preferences in Serbia”, presented today in Belgrade by The Council of Europe, in cooperation with the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM), offers the first...
On the frontlines of journalists safety in the Western Balkans
Dragan Sekulovski, Executive Director of the Association of Journalists of North Macedonia, has long been one of the leading voices on journalists’ safety in the Western Balkans. Through his role with the Council of Europe Division for Cooperation on Freedom of Expression, in particular under the...
Silencing truth: Confronting SLAPPs and defending press freedom in North Macedonia
Marking World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, free voices from North Macedonia are sounding the alarm about a growing threat to democracy: Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). These lawsuits, often disguised as defamation or civil claims, are increasingly used to intimidate...
Inside the struggle for gender-sensitive reporting
“We cannot say that we are close to a point where the media promote gender equality, avoid stereotypes, and empower women and marginalised groups.” With that blunt assessment, journalist Aleksandra Ničić sets the tone for a conversation that goes far beyond individual newsroom habits and speaks...
AI Meets Human Rights: Strengthening Data Protection in North Macedonia
Harmonising Albania’s media regulatory framework with European digital standards
To support the process of transposition and implementation of key European standards, including relevant Council of Europe recommendations and the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) into the Albanian media regulatory and legal framework, the...
Albanian and Serbian journalists strengthen trauma-informed and gender-sensitive journalism
Media actors and professionals, conveyed in a workshop in Bogë/Boga on trauma-informed journalism, with a focus on gender and online threats and harassment. Journalists from Albanian and Serbian communities had the opportunity to strengthen their professional skills for reporting in high-pressure...
Judges and lawyers from across North Macedonia strengthen capacities on freedom of expression and SLAPPs
Freedom of expression remains a cornerstone of democratic societies, yet legal challenges such as defamation, insult, and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) continue to pose significant risks to the public debate and accountability. To strengthen domestic responses to these...
Promoting responsible media coverage of children and violence in Montenegro
Journalists from across Montenegro strengthened their skills in responsible and child-sensitive reporting during a three-day training organised by the Council of Europe Programme Office in Podgorica. The event focused on improving media practices in stories involving children, violence and peer...
Strengthening responses to disinformation – New Code of Ethics discussed in Montenegro
A public discussion on the new Code of Ethics for Journalists of Montenegro was held in Podgorica, bringing together journalists, editors, media representatives, civil society organisations, and communication experts to discuss how ethical standards can strengthen truthful and responsible...
New training programme helps protect journalists from abusive legal tactics
The Council of Europe launched a new Training Programme on Countering Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) — part of its ongoing efforts to defend freedom of expression and protect journalists and others speaking out in the public interest. This hands-on course is designed for...
Reporting Justice: journalists strengthen professional standards in court reporting
Court reporters and journalists gathered in Tushemisht - Pogradec, for a two-day training, “Reporting Justice Accurately: Professional Standards in Legal and Court Reporting”, organised by the joint European Union and the Council of Europe action on Protecting Freedom of Expressions and of the...
Defamation, SLAPPs, and democracy: Protecting the space for public debate in BiH
Continued education of legal professionals is key to applying European standards consistently, harmonising court practices, and shortening legal proceedings to ensure that the space for public debate in Bosnia and Herzegovina remains open and free. These were among the key conclusions of an...
New guide promotes gender sensitive reporting among young journalists in Serbia
The Council of Europe, in cooperation with the Journalists Association of Serbia (JAS), has developed a new Guide for Gender Sensitive Reporting to support young journalists in applying ethical and professional standards that promote gender equality in the media. The Guide was developed to...
Enhancing court–media co-operation for greater transparency
Judges, court spokespersons and members of the Kosovo Judicial Council gathered for a workshop aimed at improving communication between the judiciary, the media and the public. The discussions focused on enhancing transparency and ensuring effective access to information in line with European...
Strengthening legal safeguards against defamation and SLAPPs in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Judges and legal professionals in Bosnia and Herzegovina discussed the latest European standards on the protection from defamation and strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) during a capacity-building session held in Sarajevo. The discussions focused on key instruments such as...
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