The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) join the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) to call for the immediate release of all political prisoners held in Belarus, including 29 journalists and media actors. This statement was originally published on baj.by on 24 May 2021. On May 23, blogger Raman Pratasevich was detained by Belarusian security forces at the Minsk National Airport, following the forced landing of a Ryanair passenger airliner. According to available information, Pratasevich is facing charges under Part 1 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code (organization of mass riots), Part 1 of Art. 342 of…

On Sunday 23 May, the Belarusian authorities forced a civilian plane to perform an emergency landing in Minsk. The Ryanair plane, flying between Greece and Lithuania and carrying more than 100 passengers, was forced to land by a Belarusian military aircraft. One of the flight passengers, Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich, was retained by the Belarusian authorities and prevented from boarding the plane at the Minsk airport to its original destination. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) denounces this act of air piracy and state terrorism. It demands the immediate release of Raman Pratasevich and the 28 other journalists currently detained…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes the European Parliament’s adoption of the new Creative Europe cultural programme on 19 May. This programme will support European cultural exchange with a budget of around 2.5 billion euros for the period 2021-27, a sum which is the EU’s biggest ever financial commitment to the culture and media sector. For the first time, news media and journalism will be supported as well. The Creative Europe programme will benefit from a financial envelope set at € 1 842 000 000 in current prices and an additional allocation of € 600 000 000 in 2018…

The German Journalist Association (DJV) in Thuringia has been subjected to an alarming wave of hate speech and threats since 1 May, peaking with a death threat addressed to its managing director Sebastian Scholz. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) stands in solidarity with DJV and urges the police to investigate the case. The DJV in Thuringia have received numerous hate emails and threatening phone calls since an incident on 1 May. During a demonstration, its managing director Sebastian Scholz – who no longer works as a journalist – tripped up a demonstrator from the “Querdenker” movement, in reaction to…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) calls on public authorities not to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in newsrooms, but to promote its ethical use. The use of algorithms should preserve media pluralism and freedom of expression, especially for minority groups. The introduction of artificial intelligence in the media also requires investment in training for journalists. On 11 and 12 May, the Online Conference “Artificial intelligence and the future of journalism: will artificial intelligence take hold of the fourth estate?” took place, joined by more than 300 people around the world. Among the speakers was the president of the…

Dictator Lukashenko‘s regime is intensifying its crackdown on Belarusian journalists and citizens. In the last few days, the police have made several administrative arrests, bringing the number of journalists deprived of their freedom to 16. TUT.BY journalist Lyubov Kasperovich was detained today near the Minsk House of Justice while covering a trial against students. On Thursday, freelance photographer Tatsyana Kapitonava was detained without charges by police as she covered a conference in Startup Family coworking center, in Minsk. Judge Alena Zhukovich sentenced her to 10 days of administrative detention for “participating in an unauthorised demonstration”. On Wednesday, police in Mohilev…