As the war in Ukraine is escalating, we interviewed Nadezhda Azhgikhina, Russian journalist, director of PEN-Moscow, and former Vice-President of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) from 2013 to 2019. Azhgikhina is an experienced journalist, a true fighter for media freedom, a writer on human rights, gender equality, contemporary journalism and culture. She has delivered lectures at Moscow State University, Columbia University (USA), Tampere University (Finland), Sodertorn University (Sweden), London School of Economics (Great Britain), and Harvard (USA). From 2014 to 2016, she was the Russian coordinator of Dialogue of professional organisations of Ukraine and Russia under the umbrella of…

Russian authorities blocked access, on Tuesday, to two of the country’s most important independent media: Dozhd TV and Ekho Moskvy radio. In addition, the State Duma is considering a bill on criminal penalty for alleged fake news about Russian army operations. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) strongly condemned these attempts to silence media coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia has blocked Dozhd TV and Ekho Moskvy for allegedly spreading “deliberately false information” about Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Both websites were unavailable in Russia shortly after the announcement. The move comes six days after Russian troops attacked Ukraine. Russia’s…

Today, 01 March 2022, the Government of the Republic of Kosovo signed a decree to shelter 20 journalists from Ukraine, in coordination with the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ). The decision is in line with Kosovo’s position of solidarity with the right of Ukraine to protect its territorial integrity and sovereignty, and in the spirit of protecting universal human rights. The EFJ and ECPMF hope that other states will follow Kosovo’s example. The decree, which will see the allocation of €150,000 from State reserves, was initiated by Member of Parliament…

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced, on Sunday, that Kremlin-backed RT, formerly known as Russia Today, and Sputnik, would be banned in the EU. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) fears the effects of this spiral of censorship on freedom of expression in Europe. “We will ban the Kremlin’s media machine in the EU. The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, and their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin’s war,” said Ursula von der Leyen. “We are developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe,” she added, without providing more…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and other members of the Council of Europe’s Platform to Promote the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists today published a joint statement calling for the protection of journalists covering Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and for the provision of urgent and practical assistance to reporters on the ground. Read the full statement below. The undersigned journalists’ and civil society organisations, which are partner organisations of the Council of Europe’s Platform to Promote the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists, utterly condemn the threats to the lives and safety…

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 (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…