The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today joined a new call by the European trade union movement to the European Union and its Member States following the armed aggression by Russia against Ukraine. The EFJ joins the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) in reiterating its condemnation of the attack, demanding the immediate stop of military operations, Russian troops to leave the country, and dialogue and talks for peace to be started. Here is the press release published on 27 February by the ETUC, which is the voice of workers and represents 45 million members from 92 trade union organisations in…

On 26 February, the Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor (RKN) announced the opening of an administrative investigation against a number of Russian media outlets for allegedly “spreading false information of public interest”. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the Russian Journalists’ and Media Workers’ Union (JMWU) in denouncing a new step in state censorship: RKN not only dictates to journalists what sources they can quote (only official Russian sources), but also what words they can use. RKN criticises the targeted media for publishing “information about the shelling of Ukrainian cities and the death of civilians in Ukraine as a result…

On 23 February 2022, the European Audiovisual Observatory hosted an online conference to discuss public service media in light of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) launched by the Commission on 10 January 2022.  The new legislation is supposed to pave the way for greater support to recover the media sector from the pandemic, to offer larger support and regulations in favor of freedom of speech among journalists working within the European Union, and to empower pluralism of ideas across the Union. In her opening speech Executive Director of the European Audiovisual Observatory Susanne Nikoltchev stressed the importance to adapt…

Human rights, media freedom and journalists’ organisations issued a statement in condemnation of invasion and attacks on the press in Ukraine and Russia. We, the undersigned organisations, stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, but particularly Ukrainian journalists who now find themselves at the frontlines of a large-scale European war. We unilaterally condemn the violence and aggression that puts thousands of our colleagues all over Ukraine in grave danger. We call on the international community to provide any possible assistance to those who are taking on the brave role of reporting from the war zone that is now Ukraine.…

The European Federation of Journalists and its Freelance Expert Group has welcomed the European Commission’s initiative to address obstacles to collective bargaining on behalf of self-employed workers arising from competition law. The draft Guidelines aim to ensure that competition law does not stand in the way of collective agreements to improve the working conditions of certain self-employed persons, who may have little influence over their working conditions. The EFJ and many journalists’ organisations in Europe have responded to the first consultation on the draft guidelines released on 9 December 2021, based on the situation and experience freelancers and their representative bodies face throughout…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined today the European Federation and the World Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU and PSI) in condemning Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine. We support the call of Ukrainian trade unions, including the EFJ Ukrainian affiliates NUJU and IMTUU, to ask Russia to immediately stop the attack and to bring the Russian army back to Russia. Here is the statement issued today by EPSU and PSI. The EFJ fully associates itself with this call. This morning the Russian army attacked the Ukraine. We condemn this violation of the integrity of Ukraine. War and occupation…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) denounces the censorship imposed on Russian journalists covering Russia’s armed aggression in Ukraine. On Thursday, Russian journalists criticised Russia’s military aggression and called for an ethical treatment of the events. The Russian media regulator, Roskomnadzor, has informed Russian media outlets that they are required to use only information they obtain from “official Russian sources” to cover “the special operation related to the situation in the Luhansk People’s Republic and the Donetsk People’s Republic”. Roskomnadzor announced on Thursday that publications that violate these requirements will be immediately blocked. In addition, these media will be fined…

The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) have issued an urgent safety advisory for all journalists in Ukraine following the Russian government’s decision to launch a so-called “special military operation” on 24 February. Following reports of a series of explosions throughout Ukraine, intensified fighting on the front lines and Russian troops advancing into Ukraine, the federations offered their solidarity to their affiliates the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU) and the National Union of Journalists (NUJU), backing their call for journalists to strive to uphold ethical and professional standards in the face of a rise in disinformation. The…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) this morning joined the call to demonstrate for peace issued by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). A delegation from EFJ will join the demonstration at the Schuman roundabout in Brussels at 2pm. Here is the statement released by Esther Lynch, ETUC Deputy General Secretary, this morning: Last night Russia launched an attack on Ukraine. We are on the brink of a deadly war in Europe. There is a Summit in Brussels tonight bringing together Prime Ministers and Presidents from across the EU to discuss their response. For working people in Ukraine, in Russia…

Update (28.02.2022) – The trial was postponed to a later date yet to be announced. Ali Kişmir, the President of the Cyprus Turkish Journalists’ Union, Basin-Sen, faces a 10-year prison sentence for an article published a year and a half ago. The European and International Federation of Journalists (EFJ and IFJ) demand the lifting of criminal charges against him. Turkish Cypriot columnist Ali Kişmir could face up to 10 years in prison for “insulting and mocking the security forces” in an opinion piece he wrote over a year ago. Kişmir, a columnist for the newspaper Özgür Gazete Kıbrıs, is expected…

Today the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its partners in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in launching our annual report documenting our organisations’ systematic monitoring of media freedom violations across Europe in 2021. Between January and December 2021, a total of 626 alerts were documented on the Mapping Media Freedom platform across EU Member States, candidate countries and the United Kingdom – ranging from physical attacks to SLAPP lawsuits and online harassment. A total of 1,063 individuals or media entities in 30 countries were subject to one or more press freedom violations, including the murder of three journalists – underscoring the…

On 19 February 2022, Güngör Arslan, owner, editor-in-chief, and columnist of the daily Ses Kocaeli, was killed in a gun attack in front of his newspaper’s editorial office. The European and the International Federations of Journalists (EFJ and IFJ) and its Turkish affiliates condemn this brutal killing and call for justice. Güngör Arslan was shot by an assailant in the chest and in the right leg outside his office in the city of Izmit. He was rushed to a hospital where he died of gunshot wounds. Kokaeli region governor, Seddar Yavuz, said the authorities had arrested a suspect in connection…

Journalists and whistleblowers risk criminal prosecution in Switzerland if they reveal confidential bank data. At a time when a new massive tax evasion scandal, #SuisseSecrets, is shaking the Swiss banking system, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is demanding the lifting of banking secrecy and in particular of the criminal provisions which, since 2015, have prevented the Swiss press from contributing to the revelation of these scandals. Since 2015, Swiss journalists risk a conviction if they write about stolen bank data. This is why the Swiss media had to give up investigating Credit Suisse clients, as part of the #SuisseSecrets scandal.…

On 14 and 15 March 2022, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is holding the final conference to wrap up the two-year project “Trust and Quality in journalism”: How can gender equality and diversity promote trust in the media? The two-day conference will focus on diversity and gender equality in the media while summarising key conclusions from the previous webinars. The final conference will be organised in partnership with the Andalusian Journalists Union (SPA) and the Federation of Journalists Unions (FeSP) and funded by the European Commission. Registration You can join the conference online via this link. Speakers For more…

A Russian court in the Crimean Simferopol district sentenced Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty journalist Vladislav Yesypenko to six years in prison, on 16 February 2022. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joined its affiliate, the Ukrainian National Union of Journalists (NUJU), in denouncing a parody of justice and call again for the immediate journalist’s release.  The Simferopol District Court found Vladislav Yesypenko guilty of fabricated charges, namely being in possession and transport of explosives, after a closed-door trial. Yesypenko is sentenced to six years in a maximum-security penal colony and fined…

The Covid-19 pandemic has a great impact on journalists and journalists’ organisations across Europe. The working conditions of journalists has been greatly affected. The pandemic has underlined the importance of journalists’ unions and associations in supporting journalists in this challenging time. More than ever, stronger unions are essential to protect the rights of journalists and their working conditions. Together with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has launched its funding scheme, co-funded by the European Commission, to support its members to continue and develop their core union activities to support the work of journalists.…