European Federation of Journalists

Pivotal moment for Italy to abolish prison sentences for criminal defamation

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  •   05-06-2020
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The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in call for reform ahead of court hearing On Tuesday, 9 June 2020, the Italian Constitutional Court will hold a public hearing into the legitimacy of laws that allow for jail sentences for journalists convicted of defamation. It comes after the Italian State Attorney submitted a memorandum to the Court on 31 March 2020 on behalf of the government, signalling its plans to retain tough legal provisions for journalists found guilty of publishing defamatory material in the press. The Ordine dei Giornalisti (National Council of the Order…

EFJ joins call on EU Member States to adopt an ambitious Multiannual Financial Framework

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  •   04-06-2020

Download full statement Press freedom, media development, and journalists’ organisations call on Member States to adopt ambitious EU budget for independent journalism and recovery of the media sector Following the launch by the European Commission of its Recovery Plan for Europe, press freedom, media development, and journalists’ organisations are joining forces to call on EU Member States to adopt an ambitious Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027, strengthening the media sector and supporting independent journalism. The situation facing journalism and news media was dire even before the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2020, the budget lines allocated to support…

EFJ in solidarity with journalists covering protests in the U.S.

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  •   01-06-2020

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today expressed full solidarity with journalists targeted by police and protesters while covering demonstrations across the United States. Journalists’ organisations in the U.S. counted over 60 incidents in which reporters were injured or harassed by protesters or police officers, following demonstrations to call for justice for George Floyd, a black man who died while in custody of the Minneapolis police, on May 30, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Attacks and arrests of journalists in recent days were reported in Louisville, Kentucky; Las Vegas, Nevada; Atlanta; and Washington, D.C. The EFJ welcomed the statement issued on 30…

Northern Ireland unites against threats to journalists

The publishers of three Belfast-based newspapers and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) have joined together to stand up for journalists and press freedom in Northern Ireland. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the campaign: Stop the rise in death threats against Northern Ireland journalists. This initiative has attracted local and global endorsement, involving many prominent individuals and organisations, all listed below. The public statement appears in the Belfast Telegraph, Irish News and News Letter newspapers today. This unprecedented joint initiative aims to highlight and challenge the increasing number of threats of violence inflicted on the media. Add your…

Threats against journalists in Northern Ireland must stop

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  •   20-05-2020
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The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), as a partner of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), joined press freedom and freedom of expression organisations, journalists’ organisations, journalists and media workers to condemn threats against journalists in Northern Ireland. We, the undersigned, condemn the threats made by the South East Antrim Ulster Defence Association (UDA) against journalists at the Sunday Life and Sunday World in Northern Ireland. Early in the morning of 8 May, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) visited the homes of a number of journalists to warn them about credible threats, including threats of physical violence against their colleagues…

EFJ joined call on the European Commission to end vexatious litigation against journalists in the EU

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  •   20-05-2020

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) co-signed, together with 25 organisations, a letter to the European Commission requesting to take action at the European level to address the threat of vexatious litigations against journalists, activists and trade unionists – also known as SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation). The letter reads: “The incidence of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) is notable throughout the European Union. Shocking as the extent of documented suppression of public interest activity may be, we are acutely aware that we are only able to document the tip of the iceberg. Inequality of arms facilitates coercive…

Victory for press freedom in Germany: Global mass surveillance ruled unconstitutional

Today, the German Federal Constitutional Court has declared the monitoring of worldwide Internet traffic by the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) to be unconstitutional. The ruling says that the BND is bound by the fundamental rights of the Basic Law when conducting telecommunications surveillance of foreigners in other countries, and it violates the fundamental right to privacy of telecommunications (Art. 10(1) of the Basic Law, Grundgesetz – GG) and the freedom of the press (Art. 5). Back in 2016 the Bundestag  passed a law that allowed the Federal Intelligence Service to spy on foreign journalists. As this destroys the trust between journalists…

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