The undersigned media freedom organisations strongly condemn Georgia’s ruling party’s renewed effort to pass a Russian-style “foreign agent” law that would threaten media freedom and civic space in the country, which received EU candidate status last year. We call on the Georgian Dream (GD) party to immediately withdraw this restrictive piece of legislation. On Wednesday, 3 April, the ruling GD party announced it would reintroduce a “foreign agent” bill, which was passed in a first hearing in 2023 but subsequently withdrawn following widespread protests and international criticism. On 8 April, the Georgian Parliament’s Bureau formally registered the bill under the…

Commemorating 25 years since the brutal murder of Serbian journalist Slavko Ćuruvija, the European Federation of Journalists joins the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners and the SafeJournalists Networkto condemn the continued impunity surrounding his assassination and demand accountability for all acts of violence committed against journalists in Serbia. The recent acquittal of security officers accused of Ćuruvija’s murder, as well as the escalating attacks against journalists in Novi Sad, underscore the urgent need for authorities to act and protect press freedom in Serbia. Ćuruvija, an esteemed editor and publisher, was fatally shot in front of his home in Belgrade on 11 April 1999.…

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…