The partners in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) are highly concerned by a barrage of attacks and harassment of journalists by protesters at demonstrations across Europe in recent weeks against new government measures taken in light of the Coronavirus-pandemic. They fit a disturbing pattern observed throughout the region of increasing violence, harassment and intimidation of journalists […]

On 18 June 2021, the Administrative Court of Lazio (TAR Lazio) ordered the Italian Media Public Broadcaster (RAI) to release documents held by TV Program Report following an access to information request. Despite the Court correctly decided that  the 2016 Decree n. 97 on Transparency (FOIA), which regulates the right of access to information (“accesso […]

The International Press Institute (IPI) has joined its MFRR partners in calling again on the Italian Parliament to undertake comprehensive reform of the country’s defamation laws to bring them in line with international standards on freedom of expression.  The call comes as the Italian Constitutional Court issued a ruling underscoring the need for change. Read […]

The International Press Institute (IPI) today condemned an order sending a 79-year-old Italian magazine editor convicted of criminal libel to prison to serve a two-year sentence. Italian media reported that a prosecutor in the province of Catania on Sicily signed an order on Saturday to arrest Francesco Gangemi, editor of monthly magazine The Debate, after […]