A new report “Balancing act: press freedom at risk as EU struggles to match actions with values” published by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) was launched at the Press Club-Europe in Brussels on 29 September. Jean-Paul Marthoz, CPJ’s EU correspondent and author of the report, said at a press conference that “the future of the EU’s global influence will largely determined by its credibility and consistency by following a press freedom diplomacy based on principles and free of double standards.” The report examines EU policies and institutions, finding that while they maintain an outward commitment to press freedom, in many cases…

The offices of the Kurdish daily newspaper Azadiya Welat and Kurdish news agency DIHA in Diyabakir (Turkey) have been attacked on 28/09/2015 by police forces and 32 journalists and media workers were taken into custody for interrogation for more than seven hours by the authorities. According to media reports, Turkish police used forces, by breaking several doors, to enter the headquarters of the Kurdish media outlets and publishing houses without a proper warrant issued by the authorities. “The police said they were looking for evidence following recent explosions in the neighbourhoud. Our colleagues have asked them to show a judicial warrant to enter…