Exclusive: Brothers of Italy seeks to bridge diverging US and EU interests
Despite speculation that Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni -- a politician with a famously close relationship with US President Trump -- is now adopting a more…
Free speech
Latest reporting and analysis on free speech.
EU’s crackdown on X shows desperation not strength
The recent rabid, full-on attack on Elon Musk's X by the European Commission represents a new chapter in Brussels’ attempts to purge the public square of inconvenient…
Blasphemy law victim thanks God — and European Parliament — for release
Pakistani blasphemy law victim Shagufta Kausar thanked both God and the European parliament for her release from a Punjabi prison while in Brussels yesterday.
Attempt to censor a right-wing publisher sparks cultural firestorm in Italy
Italy has once again become the epicentre of a culture clash — this time over the attempted exclusion of a right-wing publisher with clear ties to the ruling party,…
Swiss man jailed for Facebook comment criticising trans ideology
A man from Switzerland has been handed a prison sentence for posting a comment on Facebook that supposedly denigrated trans people.
In Italy, UN envoy Albanese accused of justifying violence against journalists
In Italy, Francesca Albanese, the UN envoy responsible for the occupied Palestinian territories, is at the centre of a political firestorm.
German journalist claims ‘massive restriction of press freedom’ by hard-left at anti-AfD protests
Paul Ronzheimer, deputy editor-in-chief of Germany’s most-read newspaper Bild, has claimed a “massive restriction of press freedom” after left-wing protesters…
Pro-Palestinian Activists Raid La Stampa: Press Freedom Debate Erupts in Italy
A fierce debate over press freedom has erupted in Italy after the newsroom of La Stampa was raided, occupied, and vandalised by left-wing, pro-Palestinian activists.
What? I start with freedom for a Danish MP and end up with Chinese sex dolls
Freedom is never free. It is not free of cost, or of supervision, or of limits.
Polish journalist charged over reporting Warsaw demonstration
A Polish journalist was charged with disturbing the peace at a Warsaw demonstration he was covering as a reporter, asking questions of participants at the gathering.
Imam’s deportation highlights Italian crackdown on Gaza protests
The deportation of an Imam from Turin, Italy has spurred demonstrations from pro-Palestinian activists, left-wing movements and immigrant communities amid a growing…
Polish court convicts protester for ‘insulting’ PM Tusk’s office
A man has been convicted in a Polish court of insulting the office of Prime Minister, held by Donald Tusk.
EU ‘disregards censorship concerns’ in review of online policing law
European regulators are facing criticism for sidelining concerns about censorship and free speech in their ongoing review of the Digital Services Act (DSA).
‘Rising suppression of Christian religious expression’ across Europe, says report
Christians in Europe are seeing their "religious expression suppressed" through an expanding web of legal action and growing public intolerance.
Pas drôle du tout: Minister files complaint against comedian for joke about police
The French interior minister Laurent Nunez has filed a complaint against satirist and humourist Pierre-Emmanuel Barré for joking about the police on a radio show.
Germany: Crimes of opinion now a ‘mass phenomenon’
German police have raided the home of a man in the south of the country after he referred to public servants as “parasites” in a post on X.
Irish media regulator targets X on suspicion of EU rule violations
Ireland's media regulator said it was investigating Elon Musk's social network X on suspicion of violating European Union rules by failing to let users appeal its…
Berlin university cancels talk by Hamas massacre survivor over ‘security concerns’
A university in Germany has abruptly cancelled an event with an Israeli survivor of a Hamas massacre in 2023, saying the safety of the participants could not be…
UPDATED: German court rules State may not deny ‘right-wing extremist’ internship for law career
***Updated with reaction from John Hoewer***
Polish court fines journalists for using quotes emailed by State media official
A Polish court has fined two journalists from one of Poland’s largest online news outlets for publishing statements sent to them by email from a public media…
‘Regulatory imperialism’: US pushback against EU tech laws finds backing in Brussels
US Congressman Jim Jordan’s probe into OpenAI’s communication with foreign administrations, including the European Union, has been backed in Brussels.
German policeman disciplined for ‘anti-Greens’ sticker on his own phone
A police officer from Heilbronn, a city in southern Germany, has been officially reprimanded for putting a sticker on his private mobile phone.
High-school student indicted for posting meme mocking military officer
A German high-school student is facing court proceedings for publishing several satirical images mocking a German military officer.
Left-wing MPs sued for alleging French police ‘kill’
French interior minister and former Paris Police Prefect Laurent Nunez has filed a defamation lawsuit against four members of the hard-left, accusing them of falsely…
German right-wing activist applies for political asylum in the US
Naomi Seibt, a prominent right-wing influencer from Germany, has announced she is requesting asylum in the US over political persecution in her home country.
Finland’s Supreme Court to rule on landmark ‘Bible hate speech’ case
Finland's Supreme Court is set to give its final ruling in the high-profile free speech case involving former interior minister and Christian Democrat MP Päivi…
European Commission denies Digital Services Act is behind Linkedin censorship
LinkedIn’s controversial decision to remove accurate Covid-19 content and suspend related user accounts was not based on the Digital Services Act (DSA) but on…
France: Court overturns Marseille mayor’s cancellation of Christian film
A decision to cancel the screenings of the Christian film Sacré Coeur (Sacred Heart) at a public venue has been overturned.
French mayor cancels screening of Christian film citing ‘disrespect of secularism’
The French Mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan, has cancelled the screening of the Christian movie Sacré Coeur (Sacred Heart) from a public-owned venue, arguing it…
Berlin police raid prominent writer’s home over old post mocking ‘wokeness’
Berlin police have raided the home of Norbert Bolz, a prominent right-wing writer and pundit, regarding a post he made on social media network X almost two years…