The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), which monitors and tracks media freedom violations, will bring together leading journalists from over 13 countries and representatives of press freedom organisations, unions and journalist bodies to discuss key threats and trends that underpin threats to media freedom across Europe. This includes:
- How demonstrations and protests emerged as one of the most dangerous beats for journalists and media workers across Europe;
- The impact of police actions on media freedom;
- How states silence independent scrutiny through the capture of outlets and regulators;
- The wielding of SLAPPs to silence critical reporting by the wealthy, powerful and thin-skinned;
- Modifying the legal landscape to criminalise critical reporting, isolate journalists and target media freedom;
- Fighting the normalisation of gendered online harassment and smear campaigns across Europe.
The MFRR Summit will stream online via zoom from 17-20 March 2021.
The keynote that will take place at 10am CET / 9am GMT on 17th March will feature:
Irene Khan - the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression.
Věra Jourová - the European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency.
There will also be a screening of a short documentary recorded during lockdown with whistleblowers, at-risk journalists and media workersfrom nine different countries telling their story and giving voice to the lived impact of a deteriorating media freedom environment across Europe.
To register and to view the full programme see here.
If you would like to highlight your whistleblowing events or activities on the WIN website, please drop us a line on info@whistleblowingnetwork.org