#BIRN launched Platform B to amplify the voices of strong and credible individuals and organisations in the region that promote the core values of democracy.
Tomorrow, we are hosting our first event: Digital rights faltering amid political, social unrest: What now?
Join us at 3pm CET on Zoom: https://bird.tools/platform-b-amplifying-strong-and-credible-see-voices/?_thumbnail_id=8603
Tomorrow, we are hosting our first event: Digital rights faltering amid political, social unrest: What now?
Join us at 3pm CET on Zoom: https://bird.tools/platform-b-amplifying-strong-and-credible-see-voices/?_thumbnail_id=8603
BIRD
Platform B: Amplifying Strong and Credible SEE Voices - BIRD
Event series by Balkan Investigative Reporting Network and partners
We began monitoring #digitalrights violations in August 2019 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Hungary, Romania and Serbia.
What we couldn’t expect was the #coronaviruspandemic to come.
Just when people needed factually-correct information, many a cyberattacks were launched, surveillance flourished and much more.
Read our latest report: https://bird.tools/digital-rights-falter-amid-political-and-social-unrest/
What we couldn’t expect was the #coronaviruspandemic to come.
Just when people needed factually-correct information, many a cyberattacks were launched, surveillance flourished and much more.
Read our latest report: https://bird.tools/digital-rights-falter-amid-political-and-social-unrest/
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Digital Rights Falter amid Political and Social Unrest - BIRD
BIRN and SHARE Foundation identified more than 800 cases of digital rights violations in Southeast and Central Europe, including restrictions of freedom of speech, privacy breaches and disinformation.
Albania's Socialist-controlled parliament is readying to elect a close ally of the PM as head of the Audio-visual Media Authority.
The EU office in Tirana, however, has expressed concern, saying the institution must be seen as impartial.
📖👉 https://bird.tools/eu-warns-albania-against-electing-partisan-media-authority-chief/
The EU office in Tirana, however, has expressed concern, saying the institution must be seen as impartial.
📖👉 https://bird.tools/eu-warns-albania-against-electing-partisan-media-authority-chief/
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EU Warns Albania Against Electing ‘Partisan’ Media Authority Chief - BIRD
As the Socialist-controlled parliament readies to elect a close ally of the PM as head of the Audio-visual Media Authority, the EU office in Tirana has expressed concern, saying the institution must be seen as impartial.
How can we better respond to digital rights and media freedom threats?
By fostering more cooperation between civil society organisations. Our latest #newsletter explore this and much more!
Read it today 👉 https://bit.ly/3kcKqSu
By fostering more cooperation between civil society organisations. Our latest #newsletter explore this and much more!
Read it today 👉 https://bit.ly/3kcKqSu
Here's what the latest report “Media Pluralism Monitor 2021”, published by the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom at the European University Institute, finds: https://bird.tools/balkan-regions-media-pluralism-stagnated-in-pandemic-report-warns/
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Balkan Region’s Media Pluralism Stagnated in Pandemic, Report Warns - BIRD
In a new study encompassing four main areas of risk to media pluralism, North Macedonia scored best out of six Balkan countries included in the analysis, while in several others good legal frameworks remain unenforced in practice.
How did Bulgaria violate the European Convention on Human Rights?
Find out more: https://bird.tools/bulgaria-censured-for-expelling-turkish-journalist-fleeing-arrest/
Find out more: https://bird.tools/bulgaria-censured-for-expelling-turkish-journalist-fleeing-arrest/
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Bulgaria Censured for Expelling Turkish Journalist Fleeing Arrest - BIRD
Bulgaria violated the European Convention on Human Rights by expelling a Turkish journalist and other refugees and migrants without assessing the threats they faced, the European Court of Human Rights ruled.
“The message they are sending is that they do not want to change, and the only conclusion that can be drawn from that is that they are looking for every possible way to be less transparent.”
Some judicial institutions in Bosnia still want requests for access to information to be submitted in person or by mail, which limits’ reporters access to information, and undermines transparency.
Read more: https://bird.tools/bosnias-judiciary-still-reluctant-to-answer-emailed-foi-requests/
Some judicial institutions in Bosnia still want requests for access to information to be submitted in person or by mail, which limits’ reporters access to information, and undermines transparency.
Read more: https://bird.tools/bosnias-judiciary-still-reluctant-to-answer-emailed-foi-requests/
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Bosnia’s Judiciary Still Reluctant to Answer Emailed FOI Requests - BIRD
Some judicial institutions in Bosnia still want requests for access to information to be submitted in person or by mail, which limits’ reporters access to information, and undermines transparency.
Turkish President Erdogan’s communications chief hails new regulation on foreign funding of the media, saying too many foreign governments are financing the media in order to ‘design Turkish politics’.
📖: https://bird.tools/turkish-presidents-aide-hails-curbs-on-independent-media-funding/
📖: https://bird.tools/turkish-presidents-aide-hails-curbs-on-independent-media-funding/
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Turkish President’s Aide Hails Curbs on Independent Media Funding - BIRD
President Erdogan’s communications chief hails new regulation on foreign funding of the media, saying too many foreign governments are financing the media in order to ‘design Turkish politics’.
“They called me personally and KRIK many names, but I have never seen such a sick and brutal statement, which shows that they are in great fear.”
https://bird.tools/serbias-pro-govt-media-link-krik-investigators-to-crime-gang/
https://bird.tools/serbias-pro-govt-media-link-krik-investigators-to-crime-gang/
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Serbia’s Pro-Govt Media Link KRIK Investigators to Crime Gang - BIRD
Pro-government media in Serbia on Friday launched another smear campaign against the KRIK investigative portal, accusing it of having links to a criminal gang charged with murder, torture and money laundering.
The journalists who left Hungary's media site Index to create @Telexhu have achieved what few people in Hungary thought possible: they managed to build a completely new media outlet from scratch in 10 months mostly financed by readers, defying the hostile media environment in Hungary.
Read the full story: https://bird.tools/sacked-index-journalists-make-history-in-hungary/
Read the full story: https://bird.tools/sacked-index-journalists-make-history-in-hungary/
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Sacked Index Journalists Make History in Hungary - BIRD
A year on from the mass walkout by journalists of Index over threats to editorial independence, their new creation Telex is defying Hungary’s hostile media environment.
“There are a series of threats and attacks against exiled journalists from Turkey living in Germany.”
Following several attacks on Turkish journalists in exile, the German Interior Ministry said it will deepen its investigation into the alleged existence of a list targeting reporters who are critical of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration.
📖: https://bird.tools/germany-probes-alleged-execution-list-of-turkish-journalists/
Following several attacks on Turkish journalists in exile, the German Interior Ministry said it will deepen its investigation into the alleged existence of a list targeting reporters who are critical of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration.
📖: https://bird.tools/germany-probes-alleged-execution-list-of-turkish-journalists/
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Germany Probes Alleged ‘Execution List’ of Turkish Journalists - BIRD
Following several attacks on Turkish journalists in exile, the German Interior Ministry said it will deepen its investigation into the alleged existence of a list targeting reporters who are critical of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration.
Newly envisaged penalties for assaulting a journalist or a media worker adopted by North Macedonia’s government will be from three months to three years in jail - the same as for assaulting a police officer.
Read more: https://bird.tools/north-macedonia-to-toughen-penalties-for-attacks-on-journalists/
Read more: https://bird.tools/north-macedonia-to-toughen-penalties-for-attacks-on-journalists/
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North Macedonia to Toughen Penalties for Attacks on Journalists - BIRD
Attacks on journalists will now be treated with the same severity as attacks on police officers, North Macedonia’s Justice Ministry said, presenting draft changes it expects parliament to pass in autumn.
Our latest #newsletter is out!
We reveal the most frequented weapon used against #journalists in the region: launching smear campaigns to undermine their credibility.
Subscribe and find out more: https://bit.ly/2WzNMFv
We reveal the most frequented weapon used against #journalists in the region: launching smear campaigns to undermine their credibility.
Subscribe and find out more: https://bit.ly/2WzNMFv
A member of Montenegro’s Council of the Agency for Personal Data Protection warned that new COVID-19 measures could put citizens’ personal data at risk.
Read more: https://bird.tools/montenegro-data-protection-agency-voices-concern-over-covid-19-measures/
Read more: https://bird.tools/montenegro-data-protection-agency-voices-concern-over-covid-19-measures/
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Montenegro Data Protection Agency Voices Concern Over COVID-19 Measures - BIRD
Agency for Personal Data Protection member warns that under the latest health measures, unauthorized persons could obtain citizens’ personal health data – which by law only trained medics should be able to see.
Five countries have used laws passed to counter money laundering and terrorism financing to get banks to hand over data on critical journalists, @Reuters reported.
They include:
🇷🇸 Serbia
🇺🇬 Uganda
🇮🇳 India
🇹🇿 Tanzania
🇳🇬 Nigeria
Read more: https://bird.tools/serbia-misused-money-laundering-laws-to-target-critics-reuters-reports/
They include:
🇷🇸 Serbia
🇺🇬 Uganda
🇮🇳 India
🇹🇿 Tanzania
🇳🇬 Nigeria
Read more: https://bird.tools/serbia-misused-money-laundering-laws-to-target-critics-reuters-reports/
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Serbia ‘Misused’ Money Laundering Laws to Target Critics, Reuters Reports - BIRD
News agency says Serbia was one of five countries that has used laws passed to counter money laundering and terrorism financing to get banks to hand over data on critical journalists, NGOs and lawyers.
Could a new Polish media law spell the end of the largest private television station in the country?
Find out here: https://bird.tools/poland-further-restricts-media-freedom-angers-us-with-controversial-media-law/
Find out here: https://bird.tools/poland-further-restricts-media-freedom-angers-us-with-controversial-media-law/
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Poland Further Restricts Media Freedom, Angers US with Controversial Media Law - BIRD
Despite losing its parliamentary majority, Poland’s ruling party managed to force through a media law that could spell the end of the largest private television station in the country.
Twitter has started to label accounts belonging to various pro-government media in Serbia as state-affiliated media.
Among those it deems affiliated with Serbia’s government are:
· Srpski Telegraf
· Kurir
· Informer
· Politika
Read the full story: https://bird.tools/twitter-labels-numerous-media-accounts-in-serbia-state-affiliated/
Among those it deems affiliated with Serbia’s government are:
· Srpski Telegraf
· Kurir
· Informer
· Politika
Read the full story: https://bird.tools/twitter-labels-numerous-media-accounts-in-serbia-state-affiliated/
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Twitter Labels Numerous Media Accounts in Serbia ‘State Affiliated’ - BIRD
Twitter has labelled a number of well-known newspapers and TV stations in Serbia as media where ‘the state exercises control over editorial content through financial resources and direct or indirect political pressures’.
“The Turkish state’s complex internet censorship mechanism continues to be more active than ever before.”
A new report published by the Freedom of Expression Association in Turkey says that the Turkish government under Recep Tayyip Erdogan has increased its censorship over the past 15 years on the internet and social media.
Full story 👉 https://bird.tools/turkish-govt-increasing-internet-social-media-censorship-report/
A new report published by the Freedom of Expression Association in Turkey says that the Turkish government under Recep Tayyip Erdogan has increased its censorship over the past 15 years on the internet and social media.
Full story 👉 https://bird.tools/turkish-govt-increasing-internet-social-media-censorship-report/
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Turkish Govt Increasing Internet, Social Media Censorship: Report - BIRD
Internet and social media censorship has been increasing over the past 15 years in Turkey and almost 60,000 websites were banned by the authorities last year, says a report by a Turkish freedom of expression campaign group.
Extra, extra, read all about it (in our latest #newsletter)!
#MediaCensorship continues to increase in Turkey, while Twitter has decided to label some media outlets in Serbia as being under state control.
Also, don't forget to subscribe!
📖: https://bit.ly/2XWcVuB
#MediaCensorship continues to increase in Turkey, while Twitter has decided to label some media outlets in Serbia as being under state control.
Also, don't forget to subscribe!
📖: https://bit.ly/2XWcVuB
“Cetinje is our light of freedom … we are coming !!!”
The violent clashes over the enthronement of a new head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the country have been clearly echoed on social media.
Read the full story: https://bird.tools/montenegro-church-violence-sparks-clashes-on-twitter/
The violent clashes over the enthronement of a new head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the country have been clearly echoed on social media.
Read the full story: https://bird.tools/montenegro-church-violence-sparks-clashes-on-twitter/
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Montenegro Church Violence Sparks Clashes on Twitter - BIRD
The violent clashes over the enthronement of a new head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the country have been clearly echoed on social media.
🚨 NEW NEWSLETTER 🚨
Find out more about how recent incidents in South-East Europe illustrate that online freedom of expression is under unprecedented strain around the world.
And while you're at it, don't forget to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3nTegNH
Find out more about how recent incidents in South-East Europe illustrate that online freedom of expression is under unprecedented strain around the world.
And while you're at it, don't forget to subscribe: https://bit.ly/3nTegNH