International Press Institute (IPI)

“This decision by the EU’s executive body to take Hungary to court over the alleged breach in EU telecoms rules regarding Klubrádió’s frequency licence is a belated but important signal that the Commission is increasingly willing to use the tools available to it to defend independent media, freedom of expression and media pluralism where they are most threatened.”

“The region’s independent journalists and media outlets have come under intense pressure, facing arbitrary detention and arrest as well as internet shutdowns, which have prevented them from communicating and publishing their work.”

Free expression groups develop the case for a strong European Media Freedom Act that protects media from capture by political forces using the powers of government, and from potential threats posed by Big Tech, organised crime and hostile states driving misinformation.

Seven journalists and media workers have faced arrests, threats, or attacks in separate incidents in the past month.

Placed in the hands of Turkey’s highly politicized judiciary, the law would become another tool for harassing journalists and activists and may cause blanket self-censorship across the internet.

Independent journalists have come under growing pressure in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in August 2021.

If the bill – which provides punishments of up to three years in prison – becomes law “it will boost systematic censorship and self-censorship in Turkey instead of fighting disinformation”, press groups say.

The killing of Shireen Abu Akleh represents a particularly egregious attack on the press, not least because of credible reports that she and other journalists were intentionally targeted by Israeli forces, but also in light of growing concerns over impunity for crimes against journalists and other grave human rights abuses by Israel in the occupied Palestine territory.