The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today called on the international community to put pressure on Russia to end the blockade of Mariupol in Ukraine. A large-scale humanitarian disaster in this major city in eastern Ukraine must be avoided. The EFJ supports its Ukrainian affiliates, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU), in their efforts to evacuate journalists and media workers from Mariupol. After a series of failures due to the lack of a ceasefire, evacuations in Mariupol accelerated on Tuesday as residents ran out of food and water. About 20,000…

Fox News camera operator Pierre Zakrzewski and Ukrainian producer and fixer Oleksandra Kuvshynova, also known as Sasha, were killed on 14 March while reporting from Horenka, a city close to Kyiv. Fox News reporter Benjamin Hall was seriously injured in the same attack. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) denounced the targeting of media workers reporting on the front lines in Ukraine and urged the international community to investigate these attacks. Fox News reported that the journalists’ vehicle “was struck by incoming fire” yesterday as the crew was heading towards the city of Irpin. Only Benjamin Hall’s serious condition following…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its partners today in calling on the Member States of the European Union to set a global example of support for media freedom in crisis by extending emergency shelter and visa waivers to Russian journalists fleeing the country, as well as Belarusian journalists seeking refuge from war and repression. Independent journalists and media in Russia are currently experiencing the most severe and wide-ranging crackdown in the last thirty years. Leading broadcasters have been silenced or shuttered; dozens of news websites have been blocked; use of the word “invasion” or “war” have been banned;…

Fox News reporter Benjamin Hall was attacked and seriously injured on 14 March while reporting on the outskirts of Kyiv. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) condemn the systematic targeting of media workers reporting on the front lines in Ukraine and urge the international community to investigate these attacks. Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, said the news crew probably “came under mortar or artillery fire” from Russian forces as they were heading towards the city of Irpin, which sits just 20km north-west of Kyiv. He also confirmed on Telegram that Hall was in a serious condition…

The Russian authorities arrested journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor with the Russian television channel Channel One, on 14 March. During the evening news, she appeared behind the presenter holding up a sign reading “No to war. Don’t believe the propaganda. They are lying to you. Russians against war”. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) demands the immediate release of the journalist. Marina Ovsyannikova interrupted the evening broadcast on Russian state TV network Channel One on Monday with a sign blasting Russian war against Ukraine. “Stop the war, no to war!” she shouted. Ovsyannikova was promptly arrested. The authorities say she…