13 journalists killed so far in Europe in 2022

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today renewed its call on the international community for concrete action to protect the safety and freedoms of journalists as it recorded a spike in the numbers of journalists killed or imprisoned during 2022. The vote on the IFJ Convention on the Safety and Independence of Journalists by the UN General Assembly has become urgent. The IFJ released the latest figures ahead of International Human Rights Day, recording 67 killings of journalists and media staff in the line of duty in 2022 (including 13 in Europe) compared to 47 last year – a reversal…

Belarus: former journalist Larysa Shchyrakova in pre-trial detention

Belarusian former journalist Larysa Shchyrakova was detained in the city of Homel, RFE/RL Belarus reported on 7 December 2022. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) calls for her immediate release. “The reasons and circumstances of her detention are still unknown. She is in pre-trial detention, and her son Sviataslau is in a shelter for children. Larysa has not been engaged in any public or journalistic activities in recent years,” said the RLE/RF Belarus source. Larysa Shchyrakova is a well-known journalist who stopped her journalistic activities in 2021 due to threats of arrest. The schoolteacher-turned-journalist worked for a number of independent…

Latvia: Media regulator urged not to revoke TV Dozhd license pending court review

Update (10.01.2023): The Dutch media regulator has granted a licence to Russian independent channel Dozhd, after Latvia revoked the broadcaster’s permit. Dozhd said it would move its editorial offices to Amsterdam and will contest Latvian authorities’ decision to strip it of the license.   The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today in expressing serious concern over the decision by Latvia’s National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) to revoke the broadcast license of exiled independent Russian TV station Dozhd, which is based in Riga. Given the clear implications for media freedom,…

Lithuania: Threats to self-regulation worries journalists organisations

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) supports the work of the Lithuanian Journalists’ Union (LŽS) and media organisations active in the country to maintain the media self-regulation system in place, against the will of the Culture Committee of Parliament of Republic of Lithuania and to reshuffle it in favour of more space for public broadcaster. In an attempt to restrict self-regulation mechanisms, the Cultural Committee, in unison with the public broadcaster LRT (the largest media group in Lithuania), had put forward the Public Information Amendments, a proposal to reorganise the internal structure of the self-regulation systems in place in the…

Multiple journalists threatened and harassed in Serbia, authorities must take urgent action

In the past month in Serbia, several journalists have been targeted by serious threats raising fears for their physical safety. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the Media Freedom Rapid Response partners and the Safe Journalists Network in condemning in the strongest terms the intimidation and often orchestrated campaigns by pro-government media outlets and members of the public to silence journalists. The undersigned organisations urge the authorities to take the necessary measures to ensure their protection and prevent further threats. The latest shocking threat reported on 1 December 2022 targeted Nova S TV’s journalist Jelena Obucina. Obucina received messages…

Tove Carlén: “The Swedish new law on public espionage provides little protection for journalists’ sources”

The Riksdag, Sweden’s highest decision-making body, recently voted through a new law on public espionage. As of 1 January 2023, “foreign espionage”, “aggravated foreign espionage” and “disclosure of secret information in the framework of international cooperation” will be considered as part of the penal code in Swedish legislation following the amendments to two of the four countries’ Constitutional Laws – the Freedom of the Press Act and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression. We spoke to the Legal Advisor of the Swedish Union of Journalists (SJF) Tove Carlén about the impact on journalists and their sources. How does the new…