Three years have elapsed since the assassination of Giorgos Karaivaz, a veteran Greek crime reporter. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today joins the undersigned members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) to commemorate his death and renew demands on the Greek authorities to redouble their efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice. Giorgos Karaivaz was one of Greece’s most prominent investigative journalists specialising in organised crime and police reporting when he was gunned down in broad daylight outside his Athens home on 9 April 2021. The execution was conducted by professional hitmen who escaped on a motorbike and…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the partner organisations of the Rapid Response for Media Freedom (MFRR) in expressing its deep concern at the actions of the Slovak government towards Slovakia’s leading commercial broadcaster, TV Markíza, aimed at silencing its critical journalism. We call on Markíza’s owners, the Central European Media Enterprises (CME), to resist the pressure and guarantee the editorial independence of the newsroom. TV Markiza has been under pressure from the moment the new government was formed in September 2023. Prime Minister Róbert Fico accused it last November of being part of the “enemy media” and quickly…

The ruling Georgian Dream party reintroduced into the Parliament on 2 April a proposed “foreign agents” law. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its Georgian affiliate, the Independent Association of Georgian Journalists (IAGJ) in condemning any attempt by the Georgian government to reintroduce the draft legislation on foreign agents or foreign influence. This bill is incompatible with international human rights law and standards that protect the rights to freedom of expression and association. The bill “on transparency of foreign influence” would require non-profit organisations and media outlets receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to be registered…

The Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), of which the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is a member, issued a statement welcoming the adoption of the Recommendation on countering the use of SLAPPs by the Council of Europe (CoE) on 5 April 2024. Although there is still room for improvement, the Recommendation is an important step in the protection of press freedom, guaranteeing journalists a safer environment, free from fear and intimidation. The Recommendation establishes robust standards that Member States must meet in order to ensure compliance with their human rights obligations. This Recommendation could help guide EU Member States as…

Women journalists Antonina Favorskaya, known for her independent reporting, and Olga Komleva, a dedicated correspondent for RusNews, were arrested in March on charges of “extremism” linked to the coverage of the trials of the Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. If convicted, they will face up to six years in prison. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ), together with their affiliate the Journalists’ and Media Workers’ Union (JMWU), express deep concern over the unjust detention of Favorskaya and Komleva, in the context of a wider crackdown in Russia on press freedom. SOTAVision journalist Antonina Favorskaya, who recorded the last video of…

Amidst Romania’s Super Election Year, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners unveil their latest mission report, delving into the pressing issues surrounding media freedom in the country. To engage on this crucial topic, join our webinar today, 4 April, at 2 PM CET. Romania faces a year of intense political campaigning as the country organises European and local elections in June, presidential elections in September, and parliamentary elections in December.  Against this backdrop, the MFRR partners conducted an online fact-finding mission in Romania to assess the state of media freedom in the country. Meetings with Romania-based journalists, regulators, civil…