Comment: Poland Is Stifling Free Media
Authorities in Poland are using the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to clamp down on the free media and the rest of Europe needs to wake up this threat to democracy, Guardian columnist Timothy Garton Ash said.
In the World Press Freedom Index, Poland has dropped from 18th in 2015, ahead of Britain and France, to 62nd last year.
Writing in the Guardian, Mr Garton Ash said the ruling Law and Justice party had launched a “systematic attack” on independent media including withdrawing public sector advertising, a “pandemic tax” on media advertising revenue, and a projected law targeting foreign owners of the biggest independent outlets.
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Amnesty International published its 2020/2021 Report on the State of the World s Human Rights on Wednesday and the part about
Bulgaria reads that
media freedom and freedom of association have further deteriorated, as authorities targeted journalists and critics, and cracked down on anti-government protests.
The report further says that the authorities placed some Roma communities under mandatory COVID-19 quarantines and severely restricted their movement, while officials engaged in openly racist rhetoric towards Roma. Domestic violence remained widespread and resources to support victims were insufficient. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people faced discrimination and social exclusion. The part about freedom of expression reads that as part of the COVID-19 emergency measures in March, the Bulgarian government proposed amendments to the Criminal Code that would impose heavy fines and prison sentences for dissemination of false information.
Media freedom, freedom of association further deteriorate in Bulgaria seenews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from seenews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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RSF’s Turkey representative Erol Önderoglu (C) and physician Sebnem Korur Fincanci (L) speak to the press in front of the courthouse, Istanbul, Turkey, 3 February 2021, OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images At least ten journalists will be in court on terrorism charges in the next few weeks, including IFEX member and RSF Turkey representative Erol Önderoglu.
This statement was originally published on rsf.org on 2 April 2021.
At least ten journalists, including the Turkey representative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), are due to appear in court during the next few weeks on charges under Turkey’s terrorism law, known as the TMK, which has been used for the past 20 years to intimidate and silence reporters and media that don’t toe the official line on the Kurdish issue.
Top EU officials seek improved ties, positive agenda in meeting with Erdogan Focusing on economic cooperation, migration and human rights, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council chief Charles Michel sought to improve EU-Turkey ties during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on April 6.
President of the EU Council Charles Michel (R) and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen (L) give a joint press after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 9, 2020.
April 6, 2021
ISTANBUL In a rare visit to Ankara on April 6, top European officials sought to improve troubled EU-Turkey relations through a positive but conditional agenda in a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.