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On this page, you will find all the information about Sphera’s current campaign to defend press freedom in Hungary and across Europe, and the elements you might need to spread the word about it in your network.
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On the 13th May, Fidesz — Viktor Orbán's ultraconservative party, in power since 2010 — introduced a law that establishes the surveillance of media outlets and NGOs receiving "foreign funding". This includes donations from citizens living outside Hungary, as well as European grants.
Our partner 444.hu, one of the last independent newsrooms in Hungary, is on the frontline. This is a direct attack against independant media and press freedom in Hungary and Europe.
→ Read the summary article published by our partner 444.
The consequences won’t stop at Hungary’s borders. What Orbán is testing today, others may replicate tomorrow. Across Europe, we are already witnessing an alarming erosion of media freedom. This is no longer a series of isolated incidents. It’s a systemic drift.
As members of Sphera — network of independant media across Europe — it seems essential to speak out on this situation as the existence of committed and independent media in Europe is at the heart of what we have been defending since 2021.
On the 28th of May, we are launching a campaign to defend press freedom in Hungary and Europe. It is structured around a joint statement, written by the Sphera Network, where we call on the citizens to mobilise and on the European institutions to react.
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Read and sign the joint statement : https://petition.spheranetwork.com/
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As well as signing the petition and making a donation to 444, a direct way of supporting us is to share the campaign around you to ensure it spreads. Here are a few things you can do to help.