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Spring is finally here, and we’ve been busy bees at Liberties following the release of our annual Media Freedom Report 2025. Hot off the heels of our rule of law report (and joint event with the UN in Brussels), it zones in on the threats to media freedom and pluralism in the EU. Spoiler alert: Our report revealed that media freedom is under attack. And when that happens, democracy has a target on its back.
In other news, it seems NGOs in Europe can’t catch a break. At the beginning of April, the European Court of Auditors' (ECA) published its latest audit, which described the monitoring of EU funds distributed to NGOs as ‘opaque’. The appraisal couldn’t have come at a worse time. Europe’s civil society sector is in crisis as it wards off financial uncertainty and smear campaigns, squeezing an ever-shrinking civic space. Despite the ECA not finding evidence of misuse of funds, their appraisal fanned the flames of a disinformation-fuelled attack against NGOs led by far-right and EPP MEPs.
A blow was dealt to the rule of law in Hungary and Germany, where both governments attempted to strip individuals who oppose their political agenda of their fundamental rights. In Hungary, Orban’s party adopted a bill that would temporarily strip dual EU citizens of their Hungarian passports. Meanwhile, in Germany, the State of Berlin copied Trump’s authoritarian tactics when - despite objections from its own immigration agency - it attempted to deport EU citizens for their role in demonstrations in support of Palestine.
Liberties promises to keep fighting the good fight, protecting media freedom, democracy and the rule of law. Up next in our triple-pronged reporting cycle is civic space, coming soon to an inbox near you!
In Focus
Consolidating the EU's Rule of Law Reports: Six years on what has been achieved and where are we heading?
Closing April, we had a timely discussion on the rule of law in the EU, in collaboration with the OHCHR, to inform the EU Commission's deliberations on how to ‘consolidate’ the annual Rule of Law Cycle & link recommendations to budget conditionality.
The event highlighted the structural decline of rule of law standards, with the worst performers depreciating further and even former leaders dropping their standards. In some countries, there is a full-frontal attack, fast-tracking legislation, abolishing key institutions and attacking NGOs.
The trends are clear - pointing squarely to the need for further action.
Silencing Dissent: The Crackdown on Peaceful Protest in Europe
In our recently published Rule of Law report, Liberties’ members reported an increase in restrictions on the right to peaceful protest in all countries. Read more.
And the Rule of Law Report beat keeps drumming… in Politico
Hungary’s new biometric surveillance laws violate the AI Act: Legal Analysis
A new legislation in Hungary will use facial recognition technology in a manner that violates the EU Artificial Intelligence Act. Liberties joined a group of local watchdogs providing EU expertise. Get the full story.Media Freedom
Deepening Crisis In Media Freedom Across the EU Puts Democracy At Risk
Media freedom is crumbling across the EU amid rising authoritarianism, according to Liberties’ Media Freedom Report 2025, the fourth annual collaboration of more than 40 human rights organisations from across the EU. Read it here.
Silenced by Suits: Europe's SLAPP Crisis Undermining Press Freedom
The use of SLAPPs to silence journalists, watchdogs and activists is a continuing trend in Europe, as documented by this year’s Media Freedom Report. The unabating wave of these frivolous cases across Europe signals an urgent crisis - not just for media professionals, but for the health of our shared democratic values. Find out more.
In the news
Our latest media freedom report got featured in nearly 100 outlets around the world. Here are a few appetisers:
- The Guardian: Press freedom and pluralism face ‘existential battle’ across EU, report finds
- Suddeutsche Zeitung (in German): Media freedom in the EU: Hungary is the problem child
- L’Humanite (in French): Attacks on journalists, media concentration... Why is press freedom in danger in Europe, according to the NGO Liberties?
- La Repubblica (in Italian): "Unprecedented pressure on Rai”, the European report on the media
- La Republica (in Spanish): Press freedom in the EU threatened by political and economic interests
- Al Jazeera Balkans (in Croatian): Media freedoms in Croatia: Focus on the issue of media ownership
Member’s corner
- Trial for murder of Daphne Caruana - Our Maltese member, the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, is attending the jury trial of two men charged with supplying the bomb used to kill Daphne Caruana on 16 October 2017. The trial opened in Valletta on 24 April 2025 and is expected to last several weeks. Learn moreabout why this important is critical to journalists’ safety in Europe.
- New sheriff in town - Martynas Jockus has stepped aside as director of our Lithuanian member, the Human Rights Monitoring Institute. We wish him all the best with the next phase of his career and look forward to working with Deimantė Juščiūtė, who replaces him as director. Check out our interview with Martynas as part of our Meet Our Member Series to learn more about his legacy with HRMI.
- Rome families made homeless: Our Bulgarian member, the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, has urgently called on the government to take immediate steps to prevent a humanitarian crisis after nearly 200 individuals were forcibly made homeless. Authorities began demolishing homes in the Zaharna Fabrika neighbourhood, despite an interim ruling by the European Court of Human Rights issued just four days earlier ordering the government to halt the demolition pending resolution of a case taken by some of the residents.
- Congrats Joe: Our Irish member, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, has announced Joe O’Brien as their new executive director. With over 20 years experience in the civil society sector for minority rights and having served as a minister of state, he brings a rich history of experience to the role.
What we’re reading
- Rule of law:
- Political ads: Parties have a lot of valuable data about you. In fact, they’ve put an actual price on it - Crikey
- Framing: On European Human Rights, Frames, and Critique - Völlkerrechtsblog
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