The Trade Union of Macedonian Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM) just launched a campaign to call for the urgent adoption of the amendments to the Criminal Code to better protect journalists. The changes were announced in July 2021 by Justice Minister Bojan Maricic but have not yet been passed. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) urged the Parliament not to further delay these important reforms. The EFJ had welcomed the introduction of the amendments last summer considered as “an important step forward for press freedom in the country”. Requested by the journalists’ association and union in North Macedonia for several years, the provisions, if voted, will help…

Ten journalists are currently detained in Crimea and another five have short-term administrative arrests, according to the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU). The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliate in Ukraine in calling for their immediate release. A solidarity action was organised on 3 December 2021 by the NUJU during a special online meeting. Almost 300 journalists, public figures, human rights activists, students and lecturers in journalism universities showed support to the imprisoned journalists, as part of the online course for journalists “In Focus – CRIMEA”. They are citizen journalists, most of them are representatives of…

The Center for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) organised a webinar with the School for Journalists and Media Practitioners on the safety of journalistson 6 December 2021. EFJ Director Renate Schroeder moderated the debate on “Ensuring the Safety of Journalists: a constant battle”, with Audrius Perkauskas, deputy head of unit “Audiovisual and Media Services Policy” at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CONNECT), Urška Umek, Head of Media Unit at the Council of Europe’s Information Society Department,  Mária Žuffová, research associate at the Center for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom at the European University Institute,…

Guilty verdicts in retrial: an important step in long fight for justice The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today joined the partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR)  in welcoming the confirmed guilty verdicts handed down to four former officials in the Serbian state security services for the murder in 1999 of leading journalist and editor-in-chief Slavko Ćuruvija. The decision by the Higher Court in Belgrade to reaffirm the convictions in the retrial is an important victory for the family and all those involved in the long fight for justice for his assassination and represents another important milestone in the fight…

Updated (03/12/2021) The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomed the proposed EU Digital Services Act as a long overdue and crucial tool to create a safer, fairer and more accountable online environment. The journalists’ community believes that the DSA must be stronger in order to guarantee a digital media ecosystem based on trust and audience engagement, in particular in the fight against disinformation. Today the platforms determine who sees when and what – based on their content recommendation systems, algorithms and terms and conditions. The power of the big platforms and gatekeepers has contributed to the market failure we face…

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) express concern over the limited time and space available to openly debate various amendments of the Penal Code proposed by the Ministry of Justice of Serbia. While well intentioned, the amendments are problematic from a freedom of expression perspective. Our civil society organisations call for a broader and open consultation that comprehensively integrates the implications of the amendments on the exercise of human rights in Serbia.  We recognise that journalists in Serbia face numerous threats to their physical safety and are often the target of harassment…

Belarusian authorities arrested and searched the houses of several independent journalists across the country for simply doing their job on 1 December. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) join their Belarussian affiliate, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), in solidarity with the journalists affected and condemn the government’s systematic harassment of independent journalists. The Belarusian police arrested at least four journalists in three different locations across the country on charges of “funding anti-government protests”. The officers also confiscated some of their equipment. According to BAJ, journalists Valeryia Lepeshava and Siarhei Niarouny were detained by the Belarusian police in the eastern…

The fourth Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) monitoring report documents attacks against press workers and media across EU Member States and Candidate Countries between January and June 2021 and is again shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic. The number of violations is alarming and has continued to rise: This is the highest figure of attacks ever recorded by the MFRR partners and the data testify that demonstrations are becoming an increasingly dangerous environment due to radicalisation and polarisation. read the full report here Compiled by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI), with the support of the European Centre for Press…