A number of journalists and civil society groups have urged the Maltese government to launch a public consultation on the media law reform. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) join their affiliate the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM) in urging the government to be transparent in the drafting process and openly consult the public before submitting any bill to parliament. A committee of experts, of which IGM is a member, was appointed by the Maltese government and concluded the first part of its remit on 1 June. Its role consisted in providing feedback to a number of laws…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned media freedom and freedom of expression organisations in expressing concerns over the blanket publication ban issued by Albanian prosecutorial authorities regarding a trove of hacked data, and stress that no journalist or media outlet should face criminal sanctions for publishing information in the public interest. While our organisations recognise the sensitive nature of these leaks and urge all media in Albania to handle the material in a strictly ethical and responsible manner, it is vital that Albanian authorities proceed with caution and full consideration for journalistic freedoms protected under both domestic and…