The undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and Safe Journalists Network (SJN) ahead of the parliamentary elections on 25 October are alarmed by the spiral of violence against journalists and by the overall situation surrounding media freedom. We call on the Serbian authorities to guarantee the safety of media workers during the electoral period. All attacks must be thoroughly investigated and their perpetrators held accountable. Political figures, including state officials, must stop targeting media professionals. On 25 October, Serbian citizens will vote in the extraordinary parliamentary elections. MFRR and SJN partners reiterate that there cannot be free…

Taking part in the meeting of the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), on 19 and 20 October, the EFJ President Maja Sever supported the IFJ’s motion expressing solidarity with journalists, trade unions, and professional organisations in Turkey in their fight against censorship, intimidation and the criminalisation of journalism. The IFJ Executive Committee, considering: the increasing repression of independent journalism in Türkiye, including the detention and prosecution of journalists, restrictions on media outlets, the appointment of government-appointed trustees to media organisations and the blocking of journalists’ social media accounts; he fundamental right of journalists to report freely,…

By Rebecca Bonello Ghio European Federation of Journalists, writing in personal capacity Previously worked at The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation (2021 – 2022) On 11 October 2026, the media reported that four jurors expressed debasing comments online and in group chats about Daphne Caruana Galizia. The vilification of Daphne didn’t end with her death, and that is a Maltese problem as well as a media freedom issue. Only days after hearing in court the screams and cries of her family who still don’t have the closure they are looking for, a juror mocked Daphne and her sons, police have found.…

To Dejan Kocić, Chief Executive Officer, United Cloud (Copied to the management of Alpac Capital) Dear Mr Kocić, The undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) are deeply concerned by reports that Nova.rs’s existing editorial team could lose access to the system it uses to publish and manage its journalism. We urge United Cloud to clarify its involvement immediately and refrain from implementing changes that would disable or suppress the newsroom’s independent reporting, both ahead of the upcoming election or after the vote. We support the multiple concerns raised by Serbian journalists’ associations, media organisations and trade unions…

On the ninth anniversary of the murder of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, the undersigned international media freedom and journalist groups today lament that full justice for the car bomb assassination remains painfully elusive. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and undersigned organisations, which have campaigned for accountability for nine years, stand in solidarity with Daphne’s family, friends, and colleagues, and pledge our unwavering commitment to the continued fight for justice. A bomb planted in her car killed Caruana Galizia on October 16, 2017, shortly after she left her home. She was renowned for her uncompromising investigations into crime…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) and our Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in expressing concern over the trial faced in front of the Rome Criminal Court by Giovanni Tizian and Stefano Vergine, Domani’s journalists. The two journalists are accused of complicity with a public official in the unauthorized access to documents and in the disclosure of confidential information. The charges are reportedly aggravated by the allegation that the journalists sought financial compensation through the publication of the information. The proceeding raises serious concerns about the protection of journalistic sources and risks setting…

The International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ- EFJ) joins their Turkish affiliates, the Gazeteciler Cemiyeti (GCD), the Journalists’ Union of Türkiye (TGS), DİSK Basın-İş, the İzmir Gazeteciler Cemiyeti and the Türkiye Gazeteciler Cemiyeti (TGC), in strongly condemning the appointment of a trustee to Halk TV and the suspension of its broadcasts on 14 October 2026. The federations denounce the move as a grave attack on press freedom and on the public’s right to information. “Türkiye has woken to a bleak day for democracy and press freedom,” the GCD said in its statement. Early today, police raided Halk TV’s building…

Ahead of the European Council summit on 15–16 October, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and more than 600 organisations call on EU leaders to defend a strong AgoraEU budget. The Irish Presidency has proposed a 30% cut to AgoraEU, the largest cut in its draft budget. AgoraEU funds journalism, media, culture and civil society. The cut would save just 0.2% of the EU budget, but could do lasting damage to Europe’s democratic resilience. For journalism, the timing could not be worse. News media are at financial risk in almost every EU country, and news deserts are spreading. Meanwhile, the…

In recent weeks, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has documented more than ten cases of violence and obstruction of press freedom targeting journalists covering student and high school protests in France. More than half of these incidents are attributable to law enforcement officers. Once again, our conclusion is unequivocal: media professionals, even when clearly identified as such, are not safe in the field. The EFJ strongly condemns this violence and calls on the competent authorities to identify and sanction those responsible, including law enforcement officers. The Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Interior and law enforcement are also…

On 6-7 of October 2026, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) conducted an advocacy meeting as part of the IMPACT project funded by the European Commission. Together with our Hungarian affiliates, the Hungarian Press Union (HPU) and the Hungarian Association of Journalists (MUOSZ), a series of conversations with major stakeholders dealing with the transformation in media were held to evaluate the state of the country’s media landscape after 16 years under Viktor Orbán’s government, and look ahead of what needs to be done to create a truly independent media landscape in Hungary. “Independent media survived Orbán’s government through the support…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in condemning the distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack against the Mapping Media Freedom platform on 30 September and 1 October 2026 and in expressing their solidarity with the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), which operates it. The attack overwhelmed the platform’s servers and temporarily disrupted public access. ECPMF took technical measures to restore access and the platform was accessible again on 2 October. ECPMF reported the attack to the Leipzig police on 6 October. According to its latest public update, there…

On October 11, Slovenians will vote on a referendum on whether to abolish the licence fee that funds their public broadcaster. In addition, a draft law is moving forward that would give the government decisive influence over the body responsible for appointing the broadcaster’s management. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in warning that both proposals risk breaching the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), and in calling on parliament to pause the legislative process. Ahead of a consultative referendum on abolishing the mandatory contribution that finances RTV Slovenija (RTV…

Between January and August 2026, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) documented 28 verified drone-related incidents affecting journalists, media workers, newsrooms and media infrastructure in Ukraine. At least five media workers and newsroom staff were physically injured. New incidents followed in September. In Sloviansk, a fiber-optic FPV drone destroyed a vehicle used by Spanish photojournalist Diego Herrera and Swedish journalist and writer Mustafa Can, only minutes after they had stepped out of it, on 24 September. Their professional and protective equipment was also destroyed. On 28 September, Radio Liberty video correspondent Marian Kushnir survived a drone attack in…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its affiliates in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, and leading media freedom organisations in calling for a strong and effective anti-SLAPP framework in Albania. In a joint open letter (see below) addressed to the Albanian minister of Justice Toni Gogu, the signatories welcome the draft anti-SLAPP legislative package and its important safeguards, while recommending targeted improvements to strengthen early dismissal, protection against abusive proceedings, implementation mechanisms, and safeguards for public-interest participation. The letter also calls for addressing the continued criminalisation of defamation and insult and for a…

Access-blocking orders are increasingly being used in Türkiye as a tool to restrict freedom of expression and press freedom. In recent weeks, not only news websites but also the social media accounts of journalists, media organisations, professional associations and civil society organisations have been blocked from being accessed in Türkiye. In response to these restrictions, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Turkish Journalists’ Union (TGS) are making the following clear and public call to X and its management: X must not block access to the accounts of journalists and media organisations in…