The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners will conduct an international mission to assess the current state of press freedom and the safety of journalists in Croatia. The mission will take place online between 9 and 20 September 2024, the Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) announced on Tuesday.
The mission follows the assessment of the ongoing attacks on journalists and fact-checkers in Croatia, as well as the growing challenges related to the transparency of media ownership and legal threats to journalists.
Since January this year, the MFRR has registered 11 warnings concerning 2 journalists and 9 media-related organisations. Most of the attacks involve verbal abuse, half of which were instigated by high officials, as well as online threats, including smears and legal incidents.
Recently, the MFRR reported an unprecedented physical attack, which is uncommon in Croatia. In addition, in a recent survey of 21 media organisations in Croatia, the Croatian Journalists’ Association (HND) found that there are currently at least 752 pending court cases against media and journalists, some of which can be classified as SLAPPs.
Focus on the assessment of attacks and legal threats against journalists
The MFRR mission will be led by ARTICLE 19 Europe and co-led by the European Federation of Journalists in partnership with the HND. Representatives of the MFRR will also participate in the mission: the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, the International Press Institute, Free Press Unlimited and Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa.
The mission will focus on the assessment of attacks and legal threats against journalists, new plans for media laws, the implementation of the EMFA and anti-SLAPP instruments and the transparency of media ownership. It will also address recent amendments to the Criminal Code that undermine the ability of journalists to report on issues of public interest and the need to fully decriminalise defamation to meet international standards of freedom of expression.
These issues will be discussed with a broad group of interlocutors in Croatia, including journalists, media houses, civil society organisations, lawyers and media experts, government officials and regional institutions.
The findings and conclusions will be used to develop a report describing the current state of press freedom in Croatia and the status of existing initiatives to improve the safety of journalists. The report will contain a number of recommendations for decision-makers on how to ensure media freedom in line with European and international standards for freedom of expression.
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