The Dutch journalists led by the EFJ member, the Journalists’ Association of the Netherlands (NVJ) are protesting against the decision of the Court of Rotterdam to held “hostage” NOS reporter, Robert Bas, who refused to reveal his source as demanded by the court. Bas was asked by the court to provide witness to a criminal case investigation, which requires him to compromise the protection of confidential sources. He refused the demand from the court and subsequently held by the court by refusing to provide evidence. Thomas Bruning, the NVJ General Secretary criticised the decision: “It is incomprehensible that a journalist…

The political conflict between Catalonia and Spain has reached its most critical point with a week of protests against the sentence that condemned Catalan leaders between 9 and 13 years of prison. Some of the demonstrations have turned into a scenario of violence between protesters and police officers. The journalists, in between, are suffering the consequences of this confrontation: 59 journalists had been injured as for today (65 according to Mèdia.cat, but some of them are still unidentified), some of the reporters have been held in custody and informing about the situation is becoming more and more difficult. The European…

Stanislav Aseev, an Ukrainian journalist who has been held captive since June 2017 in Donetsk, has today given a 15-year sentence and a ban to practice journalism for 2.5 years by the “Supreme Court” of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” in east Ukraine. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) was shocked by the decision and reiterated its call for the immediate release of Aseev. Ricardo Gutiérrez, EFJ General Secretary, said: “The mistreatment of Aseev and now the harsh sentence are blatant violations of media freedom. “The authorities must stop criminalising journalists and depriving their rights to exercise freedom of speech.” Sergiy…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has participated today at the European Parliament in the workshops and the conference ‘Risking everything to uphold EU values and democracy: protecting journalists in the EU’, organised by Renew Europe Group and Romanian MEP Ramona Strugariu. During the conference, MEP Sophie in’t Veld said that the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia had a significant role and importance. She stated that Malta will only be able to regain press freedom with the end of impunity for the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Daphne’s son, Matthew Caruana Galizia, made a tribute to her work and…

A new report by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the Syndicate of Journalists of Czech Republic, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the Nordic Association of News Publishers and the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)  reveals the state of media in the Czech Republic. A fact-finding delegation met with 14 key informants including journalists, editors, directors, teachers, politicians and founders from various part of the Czech media landscape, both public service media and private media. During the mission, it was noticed that the prime minister’s close link to the media he used to own is totally unacceptable for…

By Marta Sánchez Esparza – @martasesparza What is the status of women journalists in the European Union? Under what conditions do they work? How can they achieve work-life balance? Are their rights to freedom of expression being respected? Do they work on equal terms as their male colleagues? The situation varies greatly from one country to another. The stars of the European flag do not shine the same way for women journalists in the 28 states of the Union. It is not the same to be a reporter in Germany compared to one in the former Yugoslavia, or in the…

More than 60 participants from 23 European countries attended the final conference on ‘how to manage change in the media’ from the unions’ and newsrooms’ perspectives. It took place in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 10-11 October 2019. Co-organised by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its affiliate in Thessaloniki, the Journalists’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers (ESIEMTH), the conference concluded a two-year project (2017-2019) whose objective was to help journalists’ organisations in adapting practices to the news industry and in strengthening their union capacity, through a series of five workshops (see below). The exchange of best practices and…

Two years after the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta, on 16 October 2019, we, the undersigned international free expression, anti-corruption, and journalists’ organisations, once again demand an end to impunity for this heinous attack. Six of our organisations, including the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), took part in an international freedom of expression mission to Malta one year ago, where, at the highest levels of government, we raised our profound concerns about this case and the broader worrying free expression environment in Malta – which has fallen 30 places over the past two years and is now…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ and IFJ) joined today their Maltese affiliate, the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM), in standing with those fighting for justice, two years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. IFJ and EFJ associate themselves with IGM’s press release issued today: “It has been two years since the day Daphne Caruana Galizia was brutally murdered in a horrific attack on freedom of speech. Two years since a fellow journalist was killed because someone feared what she had to say and used the threat of murder as a tool to censor the Maltese press.…

[UPDATE] The number of journalists victims of some type of aggression while covering the different demonstrations this week in Barcelona rises to 59. On Tuesday 15, in Tarragona, a protester tore the shirt first a journalist and then pulled Canal Reus’ editor Ariadna Escoda’s hair. In Lleida, the journalist of the Catalan News Agency (ACN), Laura Cortés, was wounded in the leg by the impact of an object. In Barcelona, a photojournalist from eldiario.es, Sònia Calvó, freelance photojournalist Xavi Hurtado, journalist Quico Sallés from El Món, three photographers who prefer to remain anonymous, and a French reporter reported to have been…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its Dutch affiliate Nederlandse Vereninging van Journalisten (NVJ) in condemning a new law under which Dutch citizens travelling to an area “controlled by terrorist groups” must request permission from the justice ministry. This new regulation threatens the freedom to inform, EFJ said, calling on the Dutch senate to make an exception for journalists or to withdraw the bill. The bill, proposed by the Dutch Minister of Justice and Security Ferdinand Grapperhaus (our picture), was approved by the Lower House on 10 September. Under the proposed law, failing to request the justice ministry’s permission before travelling…

Wednesday 16 October 2019 will mark two years since the brutal assassination of Malta’s best-known investigative journalist and anti-corruption campaigner, Daphne Caruana Galizia. Although three men have now been formally charged with her murder, a date for their trial has yet to be set while those who ordered her killing remain at large. To honour Daphne Caruana Galizia’s memory and to continue calling for justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ),  the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a joint FIDH-OMCT programme), Reporters Without Borders (RSF)…

Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party wants to regulate the status of the country’s journalists, and to create a “new media order.” PiS is proposing a new regulatory framework for the conduct of journalism in its 232-page election manifesto,in preparation for the October 13 general election. The ruling party argues that the journalist profession is one which depends on public trust and should, therefore, be regulated in a similar way to that of the medical and legal professions. This would mean establishing a body to oversee ethical and professional standards, education and entry into the profession. The proposed reform…

A group of government supporters attacked the offices of the online media Hayeli.am, highly critical of the Armenian authorities, on October 5. The group threw eggs and posted offensive posters at the entrance of the offices of the publication in Yerevan, the capital of the country. The four suspects are all known as ardent supporters of Armenian Prime Minister and were protesting against a headline that they consider pro-Azerbaijani published by the news website last week: “Aliyev’s belated but ‘strong’ response to Pashinian”. The article was about Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s public reaction a statement on Nagorno-Karabakh made by Armenian…

Kosovo Police detained four Serbian journalists from Radio Belgrade at a police station in Southern Kosovska Mitrovica on Friday, 4 October for six hours. On the same day, Pink Television and Tanjug News Agency crews were held up for several hours at Jarinje administrative crossing. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its Serbian affiliates the Journalists’ Association of Serbia (UNS), the Independent Journalists’ Association (NUNS) and the Journalists’ Union of Serbia (SINOS) in supporting their protest for the protection of journalists and the right of informing freely. The Radio Belgrade crew, which included journalist Nataša Aćimović, sound technician Aleksandar Bojović, producer Svetlana…

On 29 September, the Madrid radio M21 stopped airing its programmes following a decision from the newly elected city council of Madrid, leaving the thirteen media workers in an uncertain situation. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliates in Spain Federación de Asociaciones de Periodistas (FAPE) and Federación de Sindicatos de Periodistas (FeSP) in expressing solidarity with M21’s staff. They are calling on the new Mayor and the city council of Madrid to reconsider their decision. Madrid’s Mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida had been accusing repeatedly the radio to be the former mayor mouthpiece, renaming the station ‘Radio Carmena’…