The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) on Tuesday called on the member states of the Council of Europe to put an end to the repression of journalists in Belarus. 159 journalists have been detained since the fraudulent elections of 9 August. The EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutiérrez, who was invited to speak on press freedom by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on Tuesday in Strasbourg, called on the 47 member states of the Council of Europe to take concrete actions to end the repression of journalists in Belarus. He recalled that according to the monitoring of…

Several journalists were injured during clashes between police and demonstrators on 2 September in Sofia, Bulgaria. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ) join their affiliates in Bulgaria, the Union of Bulgarian Journalists (UBJ), in condemning the police violence against journalists and protestors. The incidents took place during anti-government and anti-corruption protests in Bulgaria which escalated when the Parliament re-opened after the summer break in a new venue with the aim to limit journalists’ access. Police responded with pepper spray and gas against protestors and journalists covering the events. It was also reported that journalist Dimitar Kenarov was kicked…

For the first time since the fraudulent elections in Belarus, journalists demonstrated in front of the Interior Ministry in Minsk. They were protesting against the prolonged detention of six journalists. Police also arrested journalist Larysa Shchyrakova in Homiel and journalist Dzmitry Brushko in Minsk on Thursday. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) demand the immediate release of journalists in detention in Belarus. A group of about 80 journalists organised a demonstration on Thursday in front of the Ministry of Interior in Minsk. They were protesting against the continued detention of six journalists who…

Jan Kuciak has been murdered again. Thursday’s verdict in the trial of the killers of Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová is like a new death sentence for the Slovak journalist. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ and IFJ) denounce a decision that perpetuates impunity and call on the Slovak judiciary to re-examine the case. “This verdict is terribly shocking,” said EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutiérrez. “Three thugs have been convicted and it is now certain that Jan Kuciak was indeed murdered for his journalistic activity. But the person or persons who ordered the killing remain unpunished.…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), a Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partner, today backs call for the fight for justice for Slovak investigative journalist, Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová to continue, after the Specialized Criminal Court in Pezinok returned a not-guilty verdict for alleged mastermind of their murder, Marian Kočner.  The court also acquitted Alena Zsuzsová, a Kočner confidante suspected of acting as an intermediary in the assassination plot, ruling that the evidence presented against both her and Kočner left reasonable doubt. However, the court did find the third accused Tomáš Szabó, one of the hitmen, guilty…

Update (01/09/2020): Law enforcement officials detained eight more journalists while covering student demonstrations in Minsk on 1 September: Nadzija Kalinina (TUT.BY); Aliaksei Sudnikau (TUT.BY); Sviatoslav Zorki (KP); Mikita Nedaverkau (KP); Maryja Eliashevich (KP); Andrei Shauliyuga (Belapan); Maria Vaitovich (Euroradio); Raman Hadun (Market). —————————- The Belarussian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reported on Sunday eleven new cases of detention of journalists in Belarus. This brings to 141 the number of journalists detained in the country since 9 August. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) demands the immediate release of journalists and the lifting of charges and prosecutions against them. According to the…

After the arbitrary detention of about 50 journalists on Thursday, the Belarusian authorities are stepping up the withdrawal of press accreditations for journalists covering the country’s news for foreign media. A wall of silence is gradually isolating Belarus from the rest of the world. The EFJ condemns the inaction and wait-and-see attitude of the international community. The Belarusian Interdepartmental Commission on Security in the Information Sphere has proceeded to a massive cancellation of press accreditations issued to journalists working for foreign media (AFP, AP, ARD, BBC, RFE/RL, Reuters, RFI…) in recent days. The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) has drawn…

The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) on Friday demanded the opening of a criminal investigation against those who detained at least 47 journalists on Thursday 27 August to prevent them from covering the protests against disputed President Lukashenko in Belarus. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) fully supports the legal proceedings initiated by its affiliate BAJ. The legal action is launched on the basis of article 198 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (“Obstruction of the legitimate professional activities of a journalist”). BAJ asked the chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus to initiate…

Belarusian police detained 47 local and international journalists preparing to cover protests in Minsk and Brest, on Thursday. The police confiscated their telephones and identity documents. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) considers these arbitrary detentions as another act of censorship by the Belarusian authorities. The Belarusian Interior Ministry later denied the journalists had been detained. It said the journalists had been driven to the Oktyabrsky District Department of Internal Affairs for officers to check they had valid accreditation allowing them to work as journalists. Most of these journalists had planned to cover a demonstration in which hundreds of anti-government protesters…

The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) has documented nearly 40 cases of journalists injured, beaten or raped by law enforcement officials. Other civil society organisations have documented cases of torture, disappearances and killings in Belarus. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) considers that these human rights violations justify the urgent dispatch of an OSCE mission to Belarus. Stories of abuse and brutal beatings by riot police emerge in Belarus as more than 7,000 people were detained after rigged election. “Disputed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko does not seem at all willing to open dialogue with the majority, as requested by the international…

Belarusian journalists are now facing a wave of judicial repression, following police repression. The Belarusian judiciary is stepping up prosecutions for participation in unauthorised demonstrations against journalists who were actually present to cover the events. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) to call on Belarusian law enforcement agencies to immediately stop administrative and judicial proceedings against journalists. Belsat journalist Ekaterina Andreeva (our picture) will be tried in the Zavadski district court of Minsk on Thursday. She was detained while she was covering a protest rally on 14 July. She is accused of participating…

The president of the Italian Federation of Journalists (FNSI), Beppe Giulietti, has been the target of a campaign of harassment and intimidation on social networks since 18 August. The campaign is fuelled by online accounts that advocate extreme right-wing theses. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) calls for justice to respond. On August 7, the daily newspaper “Libero” issued an article saying that migrants had killed and eaten five dogs belonging to a resident of Lampedusa. Several journalists including Angela Caponnetto of Rai News 24 and Nello Scavo of the newspaper “Avvenire” proved that this  was false information not based on…

The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) notes new cases of detentions of journalists in Belarus. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins BAJ in demanding that the authorities let journalists do their job. Moreover, this Monday, Belarusian riot police arrested two leaders of the pro-democracy movement, Olga Kovalkova and trade unionist Sergei Dilevsky, leader of the strike committee at the Minsk Tractor Works. Journalist Yauhen Merkis was detained in Homel on 21 August. He was covering the protest actions when policemen approached and said that they had opened an administrative case against the journalists for participating in the actions. Journalists…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the Belarussian Association of Journalists (BAJ) in demanding the immediate lifting of blocking measures on news websites in Belarus. On Friday evening, the Belarusian Ministry of Information announced that it had blocked a large number of news websites and websites of civil society organisations. 73 websites in total. Among the blocked sites: Belsat, By.tribuna.com, Euroradio, Goalsby, Masheka.by, Narodnye novosti Vitebsk, Radio Liberty, Solidarity, Svadoba, Udf.by, The Village, Vitebsk Kurier… Since 9 August, BAJ’s website has been blocked in Belarus. The EFJ affiliate in Belarus is using its Telegram channel to share the most important…

Belarusian border guards denied 17 foreign journalists entry to Belarus, on Wednesday, due to lack of accreditation. On Thursday, at Minsk Airport, journalists from Estonia, Poland, Serbia, Germany and Georgia were not allowed to enter Belarus. At the same time, Russian journalists and technicians were called to join Belarusian state television. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) calls on the Belarusian authorities to let all journalists do their work on the ground. Today, disputed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko admitted that Russian journalists now work for State TV instead of those who quit in protest: ”I asked the Russians: give…

    In recent days, the affiliates of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have massively demonstrated their support for journalists who are victims of violence in Belarus. Following our call, EFJ affiliates have written to their governments to demand sanctions against those responsible for violence and electoral fraud and a review of cooperation between the European Union and Belarus. Many journalists’ organisations offer logistical or financial assistance to Belarusian colleagues. The EFJ forwarded to the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) the expressions of support from journalists’ unions and associations in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania,…