The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), together with the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS), strongly condemns the conduct of law enforcement officers of Serbia’s Ministry of Interior (MUP), who, during last night’s student protest in Novi Sad, used excessive force against students and citizens and obstructed journalists in the performance of their work. Several journalists were attacked, prevented from reporting, or subjected to ID checks and searches without legal grounds. Among the documented cases by NUNS, Emir Kahrimanović (021.rs) was reporting from the riverside quay as police charged the crowd. In footage he recorded, he can be heard repeatedly…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in expressing serious concern over the threat of political interference in the operations of the United Group’s media outlets in Serbia, which owns the major independent television news channels that are active in Serbia, N1 and Nova TV. On 27 August 2025, new information revealed by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and published in collaboration with the investigative outlet KRIK suggested that Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić intends to undermine the independence of N1 and Nova TV. A leaked recording emerged of…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in condemning the five-day broadcast blackout imposed on TELE1 since September 1, and the escalating use of censorship sanctions by RTÜK, Turkey’s broadcast regulator, against independent critical media outlets. We urge authorities to stop targeting critical and opposing views and uphold media pluralism in line with democratic standards. On July 24, 2025, Turkey’s broadcast regulator RTÜK imposed severe penalties against critical broadcasters, including a temporary broadcast blackout and hefty administrative fines targeting TELE1. The punishment was based on remarks by the channel’s editor-in-chief Merdan…

In the run-up to the Czech parliamentary elections on 3 and 4 October 2025, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) supports this ten priority recommendations to political parties aimed at preventing undue restrictions on media freedom and access to information, but also increasing the protection of Czech and exiled journalists, strengthening the independence of public service media, as well as establishing fair and transparent conditions for the functioning of the media market. These recommendations are needed for media freedom to be maintained and improved in Czechia, ranked 10th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2025 World Press Freedom Index. Developed…

At the rate journalists are being killed in Gaza by the Israeli army, there will soon be no one left to keep you informed. In an unprecedented global action, almost 200 media outlets from 50 countries are simultaneously disrupting their front pages, homepages, and broadcasts to demand an end to the killing of journalists in Gaza and to call for international press access to the enclave. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the action, coordinated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the global campaigning movement Avaaz and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), on 1 September 2025. Print newspapers will run blacked-out front…

Three Ukrainian newspaper editorial offices, two in Kyiv and one in Mezhivskyi, were hit overnight on 28 August by Russian drones, causing damage to the buildings and property inside. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) join their affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), in strongly condemning the attacks and in expressing solidarity with the journalists affected. The IFJ and the EFJ demand full accountability from the Russian authorities and call for the full protection of all Ukrainian journalists. On 28 August in the Mezhivskyi community of the Dnipropetrovsk region, a Russian drone hit the editorial…

Italian media group MediaForEurope (MFE) is set to takeover German commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 after the Czech major shareholder PPF announced its withdrawal, on 27 August 2025. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its German affiliate dju in ver.di in raising concerns about the effects on media pluralism in Europe. With this acquisition, Pier Silvio Berlusconi – head of MFE and son of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi – seeks to create a pan-European media group with ProSiebenSat.1 and MFE’s channels in Italy and Spain. “International investors are primarily concerned with financial interests,” emphasises dju co-chair Lars Hansen. There…

“Our journalists are paying the price. They are killed every day. We want this occupation to end. We want the genocide and the killing of journalists to stop. The EU is complicit in their killing.” These words, from Yousef Habash, President of the European branch of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS-Europe), resonated with the crowd gathered on 26 August, at Mont des Arts in Brussels, to honour the 219 journalists who have lost their lives while informing the world about the massive killing of the population in Gaza. The International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ), together with Palestinian…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), joined by its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), the SafeJournalists Network (SJN), and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), is urging ministers to enforce the Tirana First Instance Court’s decision from 12 August 2025. This ruling partially upheld the request of Focus Media Group and Panorama Group for urgent interim measures to restore access to journalistic equipment and work materials.   25.08.2025 Në gjuhën shqipe më poshtë To: Ministry of Interior Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation (MEKI) Ministry of Justice State Police Bailiff Service (Zyra e Përmbarimit Shtetëror) Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) People’s…

The following letter was sent today by European trade union leaders to Kaja Kallas, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Dear High Representative Ms Kallas, As European trade unionists committed to justice, human rights, and international law, we write to you with deep concern regarding the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the ongoing actions of the Israeli Government. Trade unions across Europe have been raising our voices to ask for EU action about the unconscionable humanitarian situation in Gaza, the continued and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid, the large-scale destruction of civilian…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its Serbian affiliates the Journalists’ Association of Serbia (UNS) and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS-NUNS) in calling on the police to immediately stop the violence against journalists and to protect them while they are covering the clashes between rival groups of protesters in Serbia, as months of anti-government demonstrations boiled over into street violence. A wave of anti-corruption protests has gripped Serbia since November, when the collapse of the Novi Sad railway station roof killed 16 people, a tragedy widely blamed on entrenched corruption. Late on Wednesday, protesters again gathered in…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliate, the BH Journalists Association (BHJA)  in expressing deep concern over the intention of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina to obtain prohibitory measures for the journalist Nataša Miljanović Zubac, which include the prohibition of leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and contacts with two employees of the BIH Border Police, who, like Miljanović Zubac, are suspected of the criminal offense of “deceiving official secrets.” Miljanović Zubac was arrested on 7 August in Trebinje after her family house was raided, in connection to her investigation into potential crimes within police infrastructures. On…

The Izmir office of the Turkish daily newspaper Evrensel, located in Alsancak district, was shot at by an unidentified assailant, last night, at around 1.30am. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) demands an investigation to identify the perpetrator, his motives and convict him. The attack occurred at around 01:30 am when the office was empty. The man opened fire on Evrensel’s sign with a pistol. Seven bullet holes were found in the sign. Police detained one suspect and collected shell casings from the scene. The İzmir Representative Office of Evrensel said that the attack was not only against Evrensel, but…

A targeted Israeli attack killed six journalists in Gaza on Sunday. These crimes have rekindled the mobilisation of journalists’ unions in Europe. On the call of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), journalists’ organisations in 23 countries have sent a letter to their governments asking them to take concrete measures to stop the massacre. Demonstrations are planned in Sweden, on Thursday, and in Belgium and Croatia, at the end of August. The EFJ is calling on its affiliates to take action wherever they can. As reported by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), on 10 August, Israeli forces killed five…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), the SafeJournalists Network, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and Albanian media freedom organisations, in expressing serious concern over the police blockade and subsequent events affecting Focus Media Group, News24, BalkanWeb, Panorama, Gazeta Shqiptare, and other affiliated outlets. In the early hours of 9 August, State Police surrounded the building in Tirana where these outlets operate, cut the electricity supply, and blocked access for journalists and staff. This halted News24’s on-air broadcasting. According to Focus Media Group, no prior warning of effectively cutting off the broadcasting…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its Albanian affiliates (AGSH, AEJ Albania, and APJ Albania) and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) in demanding an immediate end to the state police blockade of the Focus Media Group, which operates the News24 TV channel, BalkanWeb, Panorama, and Gazeta Shqiptare.   On 9 August, the police operation included preventing media workers from entering the building and cutting off the electricity, disrupting News24’s broadcast signal without prior notice or legal order. This incident took place within the context of a broader commercial dispute between the owner of News24 media and a state-owned arms company. As…