EFJ and IFJ call on media to protect reporters sent to Ukraine

The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) are calling on media employers to ensure the protection of reporters they send to war zones. The IFJ, EFJ and their affiliates in Ukraine, NUJU and IMTUU, note that many correspondents in Ukraine do not have bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets or medical kits. Newsrooms continue to send reporters to Ukraine without specific insurance and protection, while bulletproof vests are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain in Europe. Most European journalists travel to Ukraine via Krakow (Poland), where they thought they would be able to buy protective equipment. But it is impossible to buy…

Ukraine: Swiss journalist and British news crew targeted by Russian forces

Within just a few days, a UK Sky News crew, as well as a Swiss independent journalist, were attacked by Russian forces in Ukraine. The European and International Federation of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) strongly condemn the targeting of media workers as part of the war in Ukraine and call for the establishment of a special international tribunal for war crimes in Ukraine. On 6 March, Swiss freelance photoreporter Guillaume Briquet was shot and robbed by Russian soldiers while operating in the Mykolayiv region, in southern Ukraine. The journalist was driving his armored car with clear press marking and had just passed…

EFJ joins Cross-border Local project to support investigative journalism in Europe

Four European organisations are joining forces to strengthen cross-border, local investigative journalism in Europe through the “Cross-border Local” project. With financial support from the European Commission (Creative Europe), Transitions (Czech Republic), SSE Riga Centre for Media Studies (Latvia), the European Federation of Journalists (Belgium), and Journalismfund.eu (Belgium) will undertake a multifaceted, 1.3 million € programme that will impact the journalism profession in Europe. This project will target journalists and news outlets from all Creative Europe participating countries (EU and non-EU). Cross-Border Local will revolve around three main support mechanisms: A grant programme Addressing the shortage of local independent journalism in…