[eqfw-layout][{“css”:”eqfw-layout_row is-1-column”,”cells”:[{“css”:”eqfw-layout_cell”,”widgets”:[{“name”:”WP_Widget_Text”,”data”:[{“name”:”widget-text[_id_][title]”,”value”:””},{“name”:”widget-text[_id_][text]”,”value”:” _EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) are alarmed by the creation of a government body to control information and the media in Ukraine. _EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_ _EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_According to media reports, the Ukrainian Parliament on Tuesday 2 December has passed a proposal to create a new body called the Ministry of Information Policy with the aim of “confronting Russia’s formidable propaganda machine”. _EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_ _EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_The government has appointed Mr. Yuriy Stets, a close ally to President Petro Poroshenko and the head of the Information Security Department of the National Guard of Ukraine, to lead the…

(1.12.2014) Affiliée de la FEJ, la Fédération espagnole des syndicats de journalistes (FeSP) a demandé, ce lundi, la démission du ministre espagnol de l’Intérieur, Jorge Fernández Díaz (Parti populaire). En cause: le maintien du projet de loi “Mordaza” sur la sécurité citoyenne, qui limite le droit des journalistes et des photographes à rendre compte des protestations publiques et des manifestations citoyennes. La FEJ, au même titre que de nombreuses autres organisations non gouvernementales (Amnesty International, Greenpeace, RSF…), a dénoncé la portée liberticide de ce projet de loi. Le Comité directeur fédéral de la FeSP, réuni dimanche à Madrid, a décidé…

(Brussels, 28 November 2014) The First Vice-President of the European Commission, Mr. Frans Timmermans, has told a delegation from the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) that sustaining quality journalism and putting Europe’s media freedom back on track will be high on his agenda. Mr Timmermans, the First Vice-President who is also the EU Commissioner in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, Rule of Law and Charter of Fundamental Rights highlighted that the financial crisis in the European media industry is affecting journalists’ rights, jobs and journalism as a public good. “Preserving reliable and quality information is an existential question for…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has joined forces with the Council of Europe (CoE) and media freedom partner agencies, in launching a new online “rapid reaction” platform for journalists under threats. The platform would allow trusted media freedom partner agencies to post “alerts” on a public, centralised online platform when individual journalists are in danger or their work is under threat – opening the way for swift reactions from international organisations which uphold media freedom standards, such as the Council of Europe, OSCE Media Freedom Representative, EU and UN. The platform will be launched on 4 December in Paris…

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today joined the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), their affiliate in Belarus, in asking the national authorities to drop the charges against several journalists accused by the police of holding an unauthorised action. The charges were brought against the group after they took a picture in Vitebsk to support the Stand Up For Journalism Day of the EFJ held on 5 November. They are now waiting a court appearance. According to the open letter published by BAJ calling for the charges to be dropped, seven of its…

Some 53 delegates from 26 countries representing trade union organsations and professional associations of journalists at the Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) in Moscow on 21 November expressed their solidarity and full support for ethical journalism and the struggle of Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ) to defend independent journalism and the safety of journalism. The Annual Meeting commenced with a minute of silence to remember the 56 journalists who were killed for doing their jobs since 1993 in Russia. ‘‘Journalists in Russia are facing a great challenge today. We need more than ever solidarity, unity and…

Our job is neither to please nor to harm anyone; our job is to portray the truth with our pen … What Albert Londres, a French journalist and one of the founding father of investigative journalism, said has captured the spirit of the Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Journalist which will be held  at the House of Journalist in Moscow this Friday 21 and Saturday 22 of November. While the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) held its last World Congress in Istanbul, the EFJ will hold its Annual Meeting in the capital of Russia. The goal is to…

On 18/11/2014, a conference entitled “Media Integrity Matters – Reclaiming public service values in the Western Balkans media: How should the European Union Respond ?” has been organized in Brussels by MEP Tanja Fajon. The event was a follow-up to the publication of the book “Media integrity matters” in June 2014, comprising the research conducted in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia. The study aims at addressing the obstacles to a democratic development of media systems in the countries of South East Europe/Western Balkans by pointing out corrupt relations and practices in media policy, media ownership and financing,…

The Finnish public broadcasting company Yle has announced on Monday 3 November about the imminent plan to reduce at least 185 permanent jobs as part of its cost-cutting measures. Following the announcement, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) Initiates has sent a letter to CEO, Mr Lauri Kivinen, and the management team of Yle, calling on them to engage in dialogue with the journalists’ union, Suomen Journalistiliitto. According to Yle, the cost-cutting measures were introduced as a result of a funding shortfall. Earlier this year, the Finnish Parliament has decided to freeze an inflation-related increase on the so-called Yle tax…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has called on Prime Minister Viktor Orban to abandon his “anti-democratic plan” to tax internet use and to start listening to his people and understand the reality of the developments in the media. “It is very unwise and unrealistic of Orban’s government to think that the internet tax is of any relevance in today’s digital age,” said Mogens Blicher Bjerrregård, EFJ President. “This is evident from the tens of thousands protesters who showed up on Tuesday night’s protest.” According to the organiser of the protest, following the first rally on Sunday 26 October, the…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) together with the International Partnership Group on Azerbaijan (IPGA) has called on the Azerbaijani authorities to lift the travel ban imposed on investigative journalist, Khadija Ismayilova and cease all legal proceedings against her. Against the backdrop of the unprecedented crackdown on civil society, Khadija Ismayilova’s arrest on criminal defamation charges seems imminent and would confirm the authorities’ intent to silence all critical voices in the country. The EFJ, as part of the International Partnership Group on Azerbaijan (IPGA),  including APC, ARTICLE 19, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Index on Censorship, Freedom House,  Freedom Now, the…