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…