About: freedom of expression Archives

The authorities of the Swiss city of Geneva have refused to remove a photograph from an exhibition in the city, which blames the death of a Turkish teenager on Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Freedom of expression and media pluralism are principles enshrined in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights. Member states are bound to guarantee them, as they represent the essence of liberal democracies. But Pier Luigi Parcu asks whether this is true in practice.

Attacks, conflict and repressive security laws are putting journalists under increasing pressure, even in Europe, according to Reporters Without Borders. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Two thirds of Germans oppose Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to allow prosecutors to
pursue a case against a German comedian who mocked Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a poll published on Sunday (17 April) showed.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday (14 April) that Germany has accepted a request from Turkey to seek prosecution of a German comedian who read out a sexually crude poem about Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan on German television.

German Justice Minister Heiko Maas spoke with EURACTIV’s partner Tagesspiegel about dealing with the Turkish government, satire and freedom of expression, as well as the position of the Social Democrats as the party falls in the polls.

The Council of Europe has published a series of guidelines on preventing and combatting hate speech. EURACTIV Italy reports.

The EU has proven itself to be flexible and effective when it comes to imposing sanctions. When it comes to the Thai military junta, the time is nigh for us to put this experience into practice, argues Willy Fautré.

Charged with libel for comments about Qatar, the MEP and vice president of the French National Front has had his parliamentary immunity confirmed by a vote this afternoon (Tuesday 2 February). EURACTIV France reports.

Myanmar's government, made up of ex-generals of the former military junta, is employing tactics associated with the erstwhile dictatorship to intimidate journalists before next weekend's historic general elections, Amnesty International has said.

Free Raif Badawi and all prisoners of conscience, because such a precedent would create more opportunities for human rights reforms in Saudi Arabia, writes Alyn Smith.

Thailand's military government remain in power after rejecting a new constitution. However, a planned trade agreement could persuade it to make more serious inroads against exploitation, illegal fishing and slavery. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Raif Badawi is the Saudi Arabian blogger imprisoned for ten years and sentenced to 1,000 lashes, after being arrested on charges of insulting Islam on a website.

Raif Badawi could be sentenced to death for apostasy, says his wife Ensaf Haidar, who told EURACTIV she feared that her blogger husband could be publically flogged at any time.

Prominent Swiss business leaders and politicians urged the country on Sunday to reject a referendum next month that aims to impose strict limits on immigration, warning that the measure would damage the economy.

The repression of journalists and media organisations in Serbia has worsened in recent months, as journalists are summoned and websites are blocked. The EU Commission drew attention to the issue before; now it is time to push for regulation, writes Smiljana Vukoji?i? Obradovi?.

Somali journalists are under assault. Not only is the country one of the deadliest places for media workers, the year-old government is weighing a restrictive media law. The European Union, one of the African’s country’s most important supporters, needs to be more forceful in ensuring a free media environment in Somalia, writes Alison Bethel McKenzie.

A world-renowned concert pianist was given a suspended jail sentence in Turkey today (15 April) for insulting religious values on Twitter, a case which has become a cause célèbre for Turks alarmed about creeping Islamic conservatism.

The Cuban authorities have confirmed that Guillermo Fariñas, who was awarded the EU's 'free thought' prize in October, would not be allowed to leave the country to receive the award in person at a ceremony in the European Parliament tomorrow afternoon. 

Europe must take the lead in promoting free speech as the USA is no longer carrying out the role, Julian Assange, director of whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks, told a European Parliament hearing in Brussels this week.  

Activists from Memorial, a Russian NGO defending human rights in post-Soviet states, have won the European Parliament's 2009 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, highlighting the Parliament's growing willingness to confront Moscow.

Activists from Memorial, a Russian NGO defending human rights in post-Soviet states, a Palestinian gynaecologist and a writer and political prisoner from Eritrea were yesterday (6 October) placed by MEPs on a shortlist of three to receive the European Parliament's 2009 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Memorial, an organisation promoting fundamental rights in post-Soviet states, could receive the European Parliament's 2009 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, European People's Party (EPP) sources told EURACTIV.