By Valeriia Muskharina and Viktoria Malyovana, from the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU).  No contact. No charges. No legal status. This is what incommunicado detention looks like: enforced isolation from the world and one of the most profound forms of human suffering. For three years now, journalist Anastasiia Hlukhovska from occupied Melitopol has been held incommunicado after being abducted by Russian security forces in August 2023. For civilian detainees like Anastasiia, incommunicado detention often means more than isolation. People held this way can disappear into a system where there are no court hearings to follow, no official charges to…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the International Press Institute (IPI) and and the CASE Coalition in urging Hungary’s Minister of Justice and Minister for Social Relations and Culture to ensure the adoption of a strong anti-SLAPP law and accept the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union’s request for an in-person consultation. Meaningful dialogue with expert civil society organisations in Hungary is of utmost importance. A letter was sent last Monday, 17 August, to Márta Görög, Hungary’s Minister of Justice, and Zoltán Tarr, Minister for Social Relations and Culture. Read the full letter sent by IPI below:   Dear Márta Görög…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), together with the Balkan Free Media Initiative (BFMI) and Article 19 Europe, today sent a letter to the European Board of Media Services (Media Board). We reiterated serious concerns regarding the proposed sale of the Adria News Network to Alpac Capital/European Future Media Investment and formally requested immediate regulatory scrutiny under applicable European media transparency, competition and media pluralism frameworks.  New evidence reignites concerns over the impact of such a concentration on the internal market and on the editorial independence, which would benefit from an opinion by the Media Board.  Given Alpac Capital’s history…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) project, stands in full solidarity with the French regional daily newspaper Nice-Matin, which is currently facing a defamation lawsuit filed by Renaud Muselier, the president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regional council. The EFJ is calling on Renaud Muselier to drop the defamation lawsuit, failing that, it calls on the court to dismiss the case which we consider to be abusive, in retaliation to quality public-interest reporting. The EFJ also strongly condemns  the deeply concerning incident that occurred a few days ago, in which Ugo Massi,…

2025 witnessed one of the most significant institutional developments in the media sector: the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), Regulation (EU) 2024/1083, which became fully applicable across the European Union in August 2025. One year after its implementation into national law on 8 August the overall picture falls far short of expectations. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its affiliates in EU Member States are closely following the often complicated implementation at national level and monitoring its developments. Together with the results of this year’s Media Pluralism Monitor, which includes insights on EMFA-related themes analysing its state of play,…

Six years on from the fraudulent Belarusian elections of 9 August 2020, the crackdown on press freedom in Belarus has intensified, with 21 journalists currently imprisoned and those in exile facing intimidation. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) joins their affiliate, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), in calling for an end to the criminalisation of journalists, and for the immediate and unconditional release of all those imprisoned for doing their job. Since the fraudulent Belarusian elections on 9 August 2020, President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s regime has increased pressure on dissidents and intensified its crackdown on the press, handing out disproportionate…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) project, joins its Albanian affiliate, the Association of Journalists of Albania (AGSH), in raising concerns over the new internal Regulation of the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) which introduces significant restrictions on journalists’ access to and reporting from court proceedings. The regulation which deviates clearly from the 2023 High Judicial Council Guidelines on relations between courts, the public and the media was secretly adopted without any prior consultation. We call on the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime to immediately postpone…

The Greek parliament adopted on 31 July 2026 a bill introducing formal legal safeguards against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPS). The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) join their Greek affiliates, in welcoming “a significant step forward for press freedom.” Following key interventions by EFJ-IFJ affiliate, the Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN), during both the public consultation and the parliamentary committee process, the Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr Bougas, accepted and incorporated, through an amendment, a provision allowing courts to examine – on the basis of the principle of equality before the law – whether a…

On 31 July, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs prevented Zdislava Pokorná, a journalist working for the independent daily newspaper Deník N, from attending a press conference. The ministry claimed that the conference was not intended for “alternative” or “conspiracy” media. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) join their affiliate, the Syndicate of Journalists of the Czech Republic (SNCR), in condemning this discriminatory action by the government, which hinders journalistic work and contributes to a broader climate of distrust and hostility towards the media. Zdislava Pokorná, a journalist working for the independent daily newspaper Deník N, was denied accreditation to attend a…

On 29 July, the Moscow City Court sentenced Russian journalist Darya Shipacheva to 12 years in prison on charges of “treason”. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) strongly condemn the imprisonment of Shipacheva and the ongoing criminalisation of journalists amid a crackdown on press freedom in Russia. Darya Shipacheva, 35 years old, is a freelance science and medical journalist who has previously worked for publications such as Forbes Russia and RBC. On 23 April 2025, she was arrested at her Moscow apartment. According to her acquaintances, prior to her arrest she had received online threats from the ultra-nationalist and misogynistic Male State movement due to her…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the 10 co-signatories of this appeal in condemning the escalation of brutal repression against journalists and civil society in Albania. The joint statement calls on the international community to step up pressure on the Albanian authorities. We, the undersigned organisations, express serious concern about the deterioration of media freedom, civic space and democratic debate in Albania during the ongoing civic mobilisation known as the Flamingo Revolution. Over the past two months, journalists have faced obstruction, attacks and police interference while reporting. The use of crowd-control measures, including water cannon and tear gas, has…

On 21 July, Spanish singer Julio Iglesias filed a criminal defamation lawsuit against the online media outlet elDiario.es, its director and four of its journalists. The lawsuit concerns elDiario.es reporting on allegations of sexual assault by Iglesias against two former employees. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) and their affiliates in the Spanish State ーFAPE, FeSP, FSC-CCOO, FeSMC-UGT and ELAー stand in solidarity with elDiario.es and its media professionals, and reiterate that using criminal lawsuits to intimidate journalists and obstruct their reporting is an attack on journalism and the public’s right to know. On 13 January, a three-year…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) condemn the extremely harsh prison sentences handed down on 27 July by an Azerbaijani court to journalists and media actors associated with leading independent news outlet Toplum TV. The court’s verdict confirms the political nature of the trial and the authorities’ desire to intimidate and repress journalists who are simply doing their job. The IFJ and the EFJ demand the immediate release of the media workers who have been unjustly convicted. The Baku Court of Serious Crimes today condemned nine journalists and media actors linked to the leading independent broadcaster Toplum TV.…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) stands in full support of its Bosnian affiliate, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Journalists Association (BHJA), and freelance investigative journalist Anisa Mahmutović, who are facing defamation lawsuits and an ongoing smear campaign led by lawyer Mirnes Ajanović, founder and president of the Bosnian Party (Bosanska Stranka – BOSS).  While Ajanović publicly declared that he had initiated legal proceedings, including criminal charges, before a court in Orašje, the actual filing remained unconfirmed until the BHJA and Mahmutović received formal court notifications from the Municipal Court of Tuzla on 12 and 19 June, respectively. The EFJ is…

In September 2025, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) published its position on the use of artificial intelligence in newsrooms. The EFJ is now releasing the results of a study carried out with its partners at FIA, FIM and UNI MEI, as part of the “Atypical Work IV” project, funded by the European Commission. Although they generally view AI as an opportunity, journalists are concerned about the ethical issues surrounding its use. They would like to have access to more training programmes and workshops on the use of AI in journalism. This new report on AI and work in the…