Freedom of Expression : News
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Strengthening legal capacity to defend freedom of expression – Lawyers discuss SLAPPs in Pristina
In an era where freedom of expression faces increasing challenges, strengthening the capacity of legal professionals to safeguard this fundamental right is crucial. In this context, the EU and Council of Europe joint action “Protecting freedom of expression and of the media (PROFREX)”, gathered...
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Division for Co-operation on Freedom of Expression launched a tender for international consultancy services
The Council of Europe’s Division for Co-operation on Freedom of Expression has launched a tender for international consultancy services to support implementation of its activities in the areas pertaining to a wide range of issues related to media freedom, freedom of expression, access to public...
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Safeguarding Media Freedom: addressing SLAPPs through judicial Training in Albania
The safety of journalists is fundamental to a democratic society, enabling them to report on public interest matters without fear of intimidation, legal harassment, or violence. However, often journalists, including in Albania, continue to face threats, such as Strategic Lawsuits Against Public...
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Supporting Quality Journalism to Provide Reliable Information on Ukraine
The Kyiv Independent is a highly respected and widely followed English-language media outlet, which provides quality information on Ukraine and Eastern Europe. As part of its ongoing work to strengthen media freedom and support quality journalism to counter disinformation, the Council of Europe...
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Strengthening the Role of the State Police in ensuring protection of journalists
A consultative meeting on the State Police Guidelines for the Safety of Journalists took place at the Europe House in Tirana, bringing together representatives from law enforcement agencies, government institutions, media organisations, and civil society to discuss ways to enhance journalist...
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Balancing transparency and privacy: Enhancing public institutions' capacity to uphold freedom of information
A specialised training course for spokespeople and information officers of public institutions, on access to official information and personal data protection, was held on 5 and 6 March 2025 in Sarajevo. Special attention was paid to the specific role of information officers in balancing the...
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Bosnia and Herzegovina steps up efforts to safeguard media freedom and journalist protection
A shared commitment to reinforcing the safety of journalists, countering SLAPPs, and advancing media freedom as a core democratic value in Bosnia and Herzegovina was reaffirmed at the third Steering Committee meeting, under the joint European Union and Council of Europe action “Protecting Freedom...
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Strengthening media Literacy to Combat Hate Speech: ‘No Hate Alliance’ in Albania hosts stakeholder roundtable
The “No Hate Alliance” convened a stakeholder roundtable in Tirana to discuss the importance of media literacy in combating hate speech. Bringing together key stakeholders, including the media regulator, independent equality bodies, civil society representatives, media organisations and educators...
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Media freedom: Broadening understanding of media regulation principles and standards
Media regulation principles, objectives, and standards were the subject of a specialised training session for representatives of state, entity and Brčko District institutions, independent bodies, and civil society organisations, organised by the Council of Europe on 26-27 February in Sarajevo. A...
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Council of Europe trains Azerbaijani lawyers on international legal standards on access to information
Access to information is a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of democratic governance, enabling transparency, accountability, and informed public participation. Recognising its significance, the Council of Europe organised a two-day training programme for members of the Azerbaijani Bar...
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Advancing Free Access to Public Information in North Macedonia in line with the Tromsø Convention
Ensuring free access to public information is fundamental to upholding freedom of expression and fostering democratic governance. In North Macedonia, this principle is gaining renewed attention following the country’s ratification of the Tromsø Convention in 2024. To reinforce these efforts, a...
Council of Europe at RightsCon2025
Council of Europe host an online roundtable “Scarier than eco-anxiety: how the law is abused to silence information on the environment”
The Council of Europe will participate in RightsCon 2025, the 13th edition of the world’s leading summit on human rights in the digital age. RightsCon is a civil society-led space where all stakeholders – from civil society organisation to tech companies, from government representatives to human...
(Seulement en anglais)
Steering Committee reaffirms commitment to media freedom and journalist protection in North Macedonia
Reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding freedom of expression and media freedom in North Macedonia, the third Steering Committee meeting under the joint European Union and Council of Europe action “Protecting Freedom of Expression and of the Media in North Macedonia” (PRO-FREX) took place in...
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Strengthening Monitoring and Reporting on Freedom of Expression and Information in Bosnia and Herzegovina
According to the annual World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Bosnia and Herzegovina has fallen from 64th to 81st place. Recognising the need for a stronger inter-sectoral cooperation to protect freedom of expression and access to information, representatives from...
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Council of Europe Continues Support to Freedom of Expression and Media in Serbia
The Council of Europe continues its cooperation programme to strengthen freedom of expression and media in Serbia. As part of these efforts, the Steering Committee of the joint European Union and Council of Europe action "Protecting Freedom of Expression and of the Media in Serbia (PROFREX)"...
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Safeguarding Independence: Election process at Ukrainian Public Broadcaster
Independent journalism and media freedom are essential for democracy, especially in times of war. Suspilne Ukraine, the country’s public broadcaster, plays a crucial role in providing reliable information, upholding journalistic integrity, and ensuring media independence. The Head of the Council...
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Regional assessment on countering SLAPPs in the Western Balkans provides key results and recommendations
The Council of Europe is publishing the "Regional Baseline Assessment of Legislative and Policy Needs for Implementing European Anti-SLAPP Standards," providing an in-depth evaluation of legal frameworks across six Western Balkan jurisdictions: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*,...
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The Role of Regulators in Countering Harmful Content: Towards a Regional Approach in the Western Balkans
The Council of Europe published a report on "The Role of Regulators in Countering Harmful Content: Western Balkans Regional Peer Exchange for Regulatory Authorities” which provides an overview of the role of regulators in countering harmful content as well as exploring good practice and...
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Launch of the Open Dialogue on Freedom of Expression in Albania
Freedom of expression is a fundamental pillar of democracy, and it is also a right that must be actively upheld and defended. Safeguarding this fundamental right helps to guarantee independence of media, access to information and quality of journalism. In this spirit, the Council of Europe and...
The Freedom of Experession and CDMSI division participates in a consultative meeting on youth
On 22-23 January 2025, the Freedom of Expression and CDMSI division and Marius Jitea, Youth Rapporteur for CDMSI (Romania) and member to the Expert Committee on the Implications of Generative AI on Freedom of Expression (MSI-AI), joined the consultative meeting ‘"How Confident?... Artificial...
"Everyone has the right to freedom of expression"
Art. 10 European Convention on Human Rights