The International Press Institute (IPI) and its partner organisations in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) held a webinar to present the findings of its recent international press freedom mission to Poland.
The event brought together press freedom experts and interlocutors from the mission, including editors and human rights experts, to discuss the most significant developments over the past year and examine the main challenges facing Poland’s journalists.
The MFRR also discussed the implications of these findings for press freedom and democracy in both Poland and the wider European Union and underline its recommendations for EU policy makers.
Speakers:
* Krzysztof Bobinski, journalist, Society of Journalists, Poland (host)
* Scott Griffen, Deputy Director, International Press Institute (IPI)
* Magdalena Adamowicz, Polish MEP
* Dominika Bychawska-Siniarska, lawyer, Board member, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
* Witold Głowacki, Editor at Polska Times
* Joanna Szymanska, Senior Programme Officer, ARTICLE 19
* Jamie Wiseman, Europe Advocacy Officer, International Press Institute (IPI)
* Laurens Hueting, Advocacy Officer, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Speakers discussed the challenges posed by so-called repolonisation and deconcentration, legal harassment of critical and investigative media outlets, physical attacks on journalists, online harassment, and the risks of state capture for media independence and pluralism.
The joint press freedom mission to Poland carried out between November and December 2020 by the MFRR. It was led by the International Press Institute (IPI) and joined by: Article 19, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Free Press Unlimited (FPU) and the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT).
