Portuguese journalists banned from entering Spain

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its affiliates, the Union of Portuguese Journalists (SinJor) and the Spanish Federation of Journalists’ Associations (FAPE), in calling on the Spanish and Portuguese governments to allow journalists from both countries to cross the border to carry out their work. On 7 May 2020, Spanish border guards at the Ayamonte border post banned a team of three Portuguese journalists from Lusa news agency from entering Spanish territory to report on the work of Portuguese cross-border workers in Spain. The Portuguese journalists showed their official press cards, but were not allowed to cross the border,…

Spain: no more press conferences without questions!

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined today its Spanish affiliates FSC-CCOO and FAPE in condemning the increasingly common practice of no-questions-asked press conferences, in Spain. On Wednesday, Pedro Sanchez (our picture), secretary general of the PSOE and candidate for investiture as president of the Government, invited journalists to attend a press conference, after confirming the King’s order to try to form a government and thus be invested president. Sanchez only allowed two questions, which was strongly criticized by journalists present. The Spanish Secretary of State for Communication, Miguel Ángel Oliver criticized journalists covering la Moncloa, the seat of government,…

Spain: EFJ/IFJ back RTVE’s decision not to broadcast football Super Cup in Saudi Arabia

The European and International Federation of Journalists (EFJ/IFJ) strongly support the decision of the Spanish Radio and Television Public Service (RTVE) to not broadcast the matches of the football Spanish Super Cup that will be held in Saudi Arabia next January. The competition, organised by the Spanish Federation of Football, is a national trophy that will be played abroad. The EFJ and the IFJ joined the Spanish affiliates Federacion de Asociaciones de la Prensa Espanola (FAPE), Federacion de Sindicatos de Periodistas (FeSP) and Federacion de Servicios a la Ciudadania de CC.OO (FSC-CC.OO) in backing the public broadcaster to not give…

Spain: Police seized journalists’ documentation and devices in relation to corruption case

Spanish police officers raided the headquarters of Spanish news agency Europa Press and newspaper Diario de Mallorca, on 11 December, to confiscate documents and personal devices of several journalists. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) joined their Spanish affiliates, FeSP, FAPE and CCOO, in condemning the police operation, which is a serious violation of the right of journalists to protect their sources. This right is a fundamental pillar of press freedom and is protected by the 20th article of the Spanish Constitution. Its violation is an attack on the free exercise of journalism. According to Europa…

Spain: Photojournalist Jordi Borrás attacked in Barcelona

The European and International Federation of Journalists (EFJ/IFJ) joined their Spanish affiliates in condemning the physical attack against photojournalist Jordi Borrás on 16 July after his coverage of a political event in Barcelona. Both Federations demand an immediate investigation on the attack and hold the aggressor accountable. According to the Federación de Sindicatos de Periodistas (FeSP) statement, the photojournalist, working for the newspaper El Món, was walking through Barcelona’s city center after a political event, when a man recognised him and approached him shouting “viva Franco” and “viva España”. Then, the man assaulted the photojournalist and punched him in the face. Borrás…

#Newsocracy III – La concentración de medios en España y Europa

#newsocracy III brings together policy makers, academics, journalists, citizens and existing initiatives for transparency of media ownership structures to discuss media ownership concentration in Europe and Spain. The event is hosted by the ECPMF, PDLI and OBCT. —————– El European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), la Plataforma en Defensa de la Libertad de Información (PDLI) y el Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), te invitan a #NEWSOCRACY III, la jornada sobre concentración mediática en Europa que reunirá a políticos, académicos, periodistas e iniciativas por la transparencia en la propiedad de los medios. Discutiremos sobre acontecimientos recientes, los peligros de la situación actual y posibles soluciones. Visita la web…

The EFJ participated in the 13th Congress of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)

The 13th Congress of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) was held from 30 September to 2 October at the House of Mutuality in Paris. Five hundred delegates attended, discussed and voted some reports on the future of European workder and trade unions in the 39 countries covered by the ETUC. The delegation of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) consisting of three journalists Paco Audije (FAPE, FeSP), Patrick Kamenka (SNJ-CGT) and Jean-François Cullafroz (CFDT-Journalistes). But the Swedish delegation with fifteen members included an EFJ member, Jonas Nordling, president of the Union of Swedish Journalists (Svenska Journalistförbundet). Luca Visentini, the…

Growing concerns over the disappearance of three Spanish journalists in Syria

Alongside their Spanish affiliates, the Federation of Journalists Unions (FeSP), the Spanish Press Federations of Journalists Associations (FAPE) and Periodistas de CCOO (FSC-CCOO),  the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its regional organisation, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), express their concern over the missing of three Spanish freelance journalists in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria. FAPE President Elsa Gonzalez told media that José Manuel López, Antonio Pampliega and Ángel Sastre entered Syria from Turkey on July 10 and were last heard from on July 12. The three journalists were reporting from the northwestern Aleppo region, a city divided between rebel…