The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, presented today in Strasbourg his annual activity report 2014. The Commissioner is concerned by the “increased pressure against NGOs and the media in many Council of Europe member states”. Nils Muižnieks quoted the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) in his report. Here are some excerpts. “NGOs and the media play an extremely important role in safeguarding human rights more broadly. Where large parliamentary majorities govern and other checks and balances are weakened, NGOs and the media are often the sole remaining watchdogs able and willing to keep the authorities accountable before the law.…

To mark this year’s World Book and Copyright Day on 23 April, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) call on public authorities across the globe to put legislation in place that secure fair, minimum contractual conditions for journalists and ensure they are equitably remunerated for the use of their works. Journalists are the authors of the works they produce. They own economic rights and in most countries have moral rights. This means that they must be remunerated for the use of their works and can protect the integrity of their journalism against any form…

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of journalists (EFJ) have strongly condemn the death threat against a Macedonian TV presenter, Borjan Jovanovski, and call on the Macedonian authorities to prosecute the perpetrators. Borjan Jovanovski, a prominent journalist, editor and founder of Novatv.mk, received on 21 April at his home in Skopje, Macedonia (FYROM), a death threat in the form of a funeral wreath with the words ”last goodbye” written on it. The wreath was brought by an unknown man in the name of Todor Aleksandrov, a controversial figure celebrated by the ruling party, VMRO DPMNE. Jovanovski…

Turkey, Russia and Azerbaijan, member states of the Council of Europe (CoE) are among the countries with most cases of media violation as recorded by the new platform launched by the CoE to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists. Since the launch of the platform early this month, a total of 42 alerts were recorded by partners of the platform including the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ). Among the 42 cases, Turkey came at the top of the list with the highest number of media violation, Azerbaijan and Russia came second (7 cases of media violation) and…

Save the date: the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) will participate in the World Press Freedom Day, in Riga and Brussels, on 3rd May 2015. Riga event UNESCO leads the worldwide celebration co-hosted by UNESCO and the Government of Latvia, in Riga, from 2-4 May 2015. As official partners of the event, the IFJ and the EFJ will organise on 3 May (14:00-15:30) a panel discussion at the National Library, on “Regulation, Sustainable Self-regulation and Professional Standards” (speakers: Mr Jim Boumelha, President of the IFJ, Mr Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, President of the EFJ, Mr…

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its regional organisation, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), have together backed a journalists’ strike in Kiev in early April after the TVi broadcaster ceased paying salaries to 300 employees. The Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU), an affiliate of the IFJ and the EFJ, held the demonstration on 2 April in support of the journalists where it demanded the management to pay the media staff. According to TVi staff, the channel, which stopped broadcasting on 23rd March, recently changed ownership to David Zhvania’s and the new management ceased the salary payments.…