TV channel NewsOne journalist Tetiana Sivokon was physically attacked by a shop owner, in the Khmelnitsky region, while shooting a story about the sale of protective medical masks, on 24 March. Ukraine is experiencing masks shortage during the coronavirus pandemic. While preparing a report on this topic, NewsOne TV crew was informed by locals that the owner of a drug store had several large boxes with medical masks. The targeted journalist Tetiana Sivokon explained: “We went to this shop, saw the announcement that masks are in stock. I politely introduced myself and asked if I could buy masks. Seeing the…

The presence of far-right parties in European politics has become more prominent, creating favorable conditions for Euroscepticism, xenophobia, and intolerance. According to a report published by the Index on Censorship with the support of the EFJ, it shows that journalists and media outlets are targeted in a kaleidoscopic array by political leaders, businesses and the general public. The report identified a trend in increasing political interference in the media. The first is direct interference in the operations of media outlets, either by politicians requesting editors or others involved in the production of news to alter or halt a story, or…

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today released its annual report of killings of journalists, detailing 49 deaths worldwide in 2019 (including two in Europe). The world’s largest organisation of journalists reiterated its call for a real commitment by governments to fight impunity for crimes committed against journalists and for media employers to provide safety training, insurance and equipment for their staff in the field. On 31 December 2019, the IFJ published its list of media workers killed in the line of duty, showing 49 journalists killed in 2019, including three women, half as many as in previous years. The report, published on 4 February, provides…

RT – Harassment of Sputnik reporters by police in Estonia ‘beyond all existing norms’: Journalist groups call to protect colleagues (20.12.2019) The Shift – Maltese in Brussels call for PM’s resignation (12.12.2019) Media1.hu – Az Európai Bizottsághoz fordult a Médiatanács újbóli elfideszesítése után a Momentum (12.12.2019) Balkan Insight – Albania Govt Ignores Outcry Against Online Media Laws (12.12.2019) RTK LIVE – “KOSOVO NAJGORE U NEKAŽNJAVANJU ZA UBISTVA NOVINARA” (09.12.2019) Radio Kim – Rikardo Gutierez: Na Kosovu najviše ubijenih i nestalih novinara (09.12.2019) Slobodno srpski – Slobodno srpski sa Rikardom Gutierezom (09.12.2019) Kosovo Online – Gutierez: Mediji globalno ugroženi, najviše ubijenih…

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has recorded 49 killings of journalists and media professionals in 2019, including two in Europe, a significant drop from 95 posted last year. The IFJ says that, while the apparent decreasing bloodbath in the journalists’ community is a welcome relief, the spread of killings and the motives behind the killings are sobering reminders that violence against journalists is still rampant and the failure to combat impunity for these attacks remain a damning indictment on those in power. The IFJ lists 18 countries from the four corners of the world where journalist were killed since…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes the release of Ukrainian journalists Stanislav Aseev and Oleh Halaziuk who suffered a long illegal custody in Donetsk. On Sunday, at a checkpoint near Gorlovka, pro-Russian separatists and Ukraine have concluded a long-awaited prisoner exchange of 200 prisoners, including the two journalists who contributed to the Ukrainian service of the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. While welcoming these releases, the EFJ recalls that 122 journalists and media actors remain in prison in Europe: 108 in Turkey; 7 in Russia; 6 in Azerbaijan; 1 in the United Kingdom (Julian Assange, founder and publisher of WikiLeaks,…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined IFJ 3-week campaign to expose the staggering levels of impunity for crimes against journalists and the lack of international action to combat the rising tide of threats and abuse faced by journalists worldwide. The campaign will kick-off on 2 November marking International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and run until 23 November, the anniversary of the Ampatuan massacre in the Philippines, in which at least 32 media workers were killed. The Federation has recorded 1064 killings of media professionals in the past 10 years. Yet, only one murder in every…

The #SilenceHate project kicked-off more than a year and a half ago, in April 2018, with a five-day ‘Media Camp’ in London. Thirteen young journalists were trained in the intricacies of how hate speech is used to target migrants, and what journalists can do to counter it. They went back to their home countries (Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Poland and United Kingdom) with the objective to report and produced the stories that they pitched. Here are the journalists’ productions offering different formats such as photography, podcasts, videos, features, long form, and having a creative and innovative perspective of the migration…

On 23 July, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv (Ukraine) ruled to block access to 17 online media, including news portals and bloggers platforms korrespondent.net, enigma.ua, trident-ua.info, and informator.news. The owners of the closed websites have lodged an appeal. Their lawyers have denounced the delaying tactics that have so far prevented the appeal court from ruling. The court justified the closure of these news websites by the fact that they disseminate texts relating to slander or defamation. The judgment requires to restrict access not only to potentially harmful material, but to the entire content of these website. The National Union…

UPDATE 04/11/2020 – On 3 November 2020, the Milan Court of Appeal ruled to fully acquit Vitaliy Markiv, overturning his conviction to 24 years for complicity in murder of Italian photographer Andrea Rocchelli and Andrei Mironov. The Court ruled for Markiv’s immediate release. —————————– An Italian court sentenced on Friday 12 July Vitaly Markiv, a Ukrainian former national guard commander, to 24 years in prison for the murder of photographer Andrea Rocchelli and his translator Andrei Mironov, in the early days of the conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes the court’s decision, putting…

On Sunday 23 June, around 4,000 people gathered in Moscow, Vladivostok, St Petersburg, Perm, Makhachkala to protest against the fabrication of criminal charges to incriminate journalists and human rights activists in Russia. The Journalists’ and Media Workers’ Union (JMWU) was one of the moving forces in this campaign. The Meduza journalist Ivan Golunov was freed on 12 June thanks to the unprecedented campaign of social pressure and solidarity from the journalism community and civil society as a whole. Against this backdrop, journalist Igor Rudnikov, who was threatened with 10 years in prison on absurd charges of extortion, was also freed.…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) elected its new Steering Committee on Friday 10 May 2019, during its General Meeting taking place in Tallinn, Estonia. More than 90 participants including delegates and observers from 49 EFJ member organisations in 36 countries attended the General Meeting to elect the next Steering Committee members and to adopt the EFJ working programme for the next three years (2020-2022). The EFJ Steering Committee is now composed of 4 women and 5 men: Mogens BLICHER BJERREGÅRD, DJ, Denmark (President) Marta BARCENILLA, FSC-CCOO, Spain (Vice-President) Marijana CAMOVIC, TUMM, Montenegro Anna DEL FREO, FNSI, Italy Yannis KOTSIFOS,…

To mark World Press Freedom Day on 3rd May, journalists from across the world are joining forces to launch tips for safe and fair coverage of elections at a time when politicians and their supporters are increasingly turning their fire on reporters. The EFJ supports IFJ campaign exposing the abuse of power, disinformation, internet shutdowns, self-censorship, harassment and violence as ongoing challenges facing journalists when reporting elections. The campaign is calling on governments to ensure a safe working environment for journalists to allow them to report with full objectivity, impartiality and balance and on all politicians not to stigmatise media. This…

  The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) will hold its General Meeting on 9 – 10 April and elect its upcoming Steering Committee for 2019-2021. The candidates are: PRESIDENT Mogens BLICHER BJERREGARD Danish Journalists’ Union (DJ), Denmark View candidate profile and statement         Anna DEL FREO Italian National Press Federation (FNSI), Italy View candidate profile and statement     VICE-PRESIDENT   Marta BARCENILLA FSC-CCOO, Spain View candidate profile and statement             Luis MENENDEZ FAPE, Spain View candidate profile and statement     STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS Pablo AIQUEL  SNJ-CGT, France View candidate profile…

Washington Post – 4 Media Organizations Ask Albania to Drop Online Media Laws (26.12.18) New York Times – 4 Media Organizations Ask Albania to Drop Online Media Laws (26.12.18) Europe1 – “Gilets jaunes” : les syndicats de journalistes dénoncent des “dérapages” de la police (12.12.18) L’OBS – Les syndicats de journalistes dénoncent des “dérapages inadmissibles” de la police (10.12.18) Le Monde – « Gilets jaunes » : des « dérapages inadmissibles » de la police envers des journalistes samedi (10.12.18) RTBF – Au Bout du Jour – Séquence DDH: Ricardo Gutiérrez (audio) (05.12.2018) RTBF – J’peux pas, j’ai climat”: les journalistes, des manifestants comme les autres? (4.12.2018) Diario de Noticias…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) strongly calls for release of imprisoned journalists in Europe. Following the reports from the EFJ national affiliates, 177 journalists will spend New Year’s Eve in prison in Europe: 159 in Turkey; 11 in Azerbaijan; 5 in Russia; 2 in Ukraine. Read the full list, here. In Turkey, a significant number of journalists continued to be detained on charges related to alleged terrorism, while others were convicted in 2018 to heavy imprisonment sentences, including life sentences. No progress has been recorded concerning journalists currently serving behind bars life-imprisonment sentences or very long imprisonment sentences. Another trend consists of…