The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) warmly welcomes the release of Mohammed Rasool, fixer and reporter working for Vice News, today (05/01/2016) following 131 days of detention in Turkish jail as “protective measure”. The information has been confirmed in a statement published by Vice News adding that Mohammed Rasool “is not free to leave the country and must also report twice a week to a police station” and the media worker “is now looking forward to being reunited with his family, friends and colleagues, who ask for his privacy to be respected during this time.”  “The release of Mohammed Rasool is a…

managing change

  Asociacioni i Gazetarëve të Kosovës (AGK) – Association of Journalists of Kosovo Address Str. Perandori Justinian, Building of NPB, No: 29&30 10000 Prishtine/Pristina Kosovo Staff Xhemajl Rexha (President) – xh.rexha@agk-ks.org Getoarbë Mulliqi Bojaj (Executive Director) – geta.mulliqi@agk-ks.org Phone +383 48 101 155 Email office@agk-ks.org Website http://agk-ks.org/en/  

Հայաստանի Ժուռնալիստների միություն – Union of Armenian Journalists Address 3a Pushkin Street, Yerevan 0010, Republic of Armenia President Satik Seyranyan: sseyranyan@yahoo.com Phone +374 (10) 56 12 76 +374 (91) 37 31 02 Email ujarmenia@gmail.com Contact person Website www.uaj.am  

2015 has been another deadly year for journalists, with at least 109 journalists and media staff killed in targeted killings, bomb attacks and cross-fire incidents, according to the annual report published today by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The IFJ 2015 list names the 109 journalists and media staff killed across 30 countries, together with 3 who died of accidental deaths. It marks a small drop from last year when 118 killings and 17 accidents were recorded. In Europe, 16 journalists and media staff were killed in 2015: 11 in France, 2 in Ukraine, 1 in Azerbaijan, 1 in…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) strongly calls for release of imprisoned journalists in Europe. Following the reports from the national affiliates of the EFJ, 44 journalists will spend New Year’s Eve in prison in Europe: 30 in Turkey, 10 in Azerbaijan and one in Russia. With their affiliates in Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Russia, the EFJ and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) are following closely the cases of imprisoned journalists in Europe. All of them are in prison just for having done their job. Together with the Helsinki Commission, the EFJ calls on again the authorities of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Russia to…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) strongly calls for release of imprisoned journalists in Europe. Following the reports from the national affiliates of the EFJ, 39 journalists will spend New Year’s Eve in prison in Europe: 30 in Turkey, 8 in Azerbaijan and one in Russia. With their affiliates in Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Russia, the EFJ and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) are following closely the cases of imprisoned journalists in Europe. All of them are in prison just for having done their job. Together with the Helsinki Commission, the EFJ calls on again the authorities of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Russia to…

The undersigned press freedom and media organisations – European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Association of European Journalists (AEJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Index on Censorship – are outraged by the proposed bill, hastily introduced by the majority party in Poland yesterday (29 December) for immediate adoption, without any consultation, abolishing the existing safeguards for pluralism and independence of public service media governance in Poland. The introduction of a system whereby a government minister can appoint and dismiss at its own discretion the supervisory and management boards goes against basic principles and established…

The General secretary of the European Federation of Journalists, Ricardo Gutiérrez, has been quoted today in Politico as stating: “It’s been an awful year. I must say, five years ago I was not suspecting such a bad evolution.” The title of the article is very clear: “2015, an awful year for Europe’s free media – A year of arrests, assaults, legal restrictions and murder”. “It was a terrible year for journalists in Europe,” writes Alex Spence, the author of the article. “Attacks by Islamic militants, unjustified arrests, assaults, harassment, threats and tougher legal restrictions made it harder for editors, reporters and photographers…

The prominent Syrian journalist Naji Jerf was gunned down by unknown assailants on Sunday 27 December in Gaziantep (Turkey) near the Syrian border. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) calls on the Turkish authorities to investigate the crime and bring to justice the murderers. Naji Jerf was editor-in-chief of the independent monthly Hentah and the author of documentary films on the terrorist group Daesh. He was shot dead with a silenced pistol on Sunday, in broad daylight, in front of a building that houses Syrian opposition news outlets in downtown Gaziantep. “Once again, said Ricardo Gutiérrez, General secretary of the EFJ, Turkish authorities said they…

2015 has been a year for the EFJ to focus on core union work. We have achieved positive steps in promoting professional rights of journalists and jobs in journalism, developing union recruitment strategies and enforcing the safety of journalists. READ MORE   Having trouble viewing this email? View this email in your browser   18 December 2015       EDITORIAL    2015 has been a year for the EFJ to focus on core union work. We have achieved positive steps in promoting professional rights of journalists and jobs in journalism, developing union recruitment strategies and enforcing the safety of journalists. On…

Serbian journalists gathered on Monday evening (21/12/2015) in front of the Serbian government’s building to remind the Serbian prime minister Aleksandar Vucic about a promise he made 15 days ago. The prime minister made a public commitment to replace Bratislav Gasic, his minister of defense, due to the offensive statement made towards a female journalist. Mr Gasic sparked outrage after a journalist from B92 Television knelt down in front of him to avoid being in the way of cameras as he spoke to a group of reporters during a visit to a factory. The minister made the following offending comment: “I…

Unione Sammarinese Giornalisti e Fotoreporters – USGI Address Via Ca’ Dei Lunghi 132, 47893 Borgo Maggiore Republic of San Marino Staff Matteo Sèlleri (President) Antonio Fabbri (Secretary) Piero Arcide (Treasurer) Phone +378 0549 90 87 56 Email giornalisti.usgi@gmail.com    

Association of Professional Journalists of Albania – APJA Address Rr. Aleksandër Moisiu 97, (Prane Ish Kinostudio) Tirana, Albania Phone +355 4 2 347 821 Staff Armand Shullaku (President) – ashkullaku@hotmail.com Fatos Hakorja (General Secretary) – hakorja@gmail.com Contact Person Rigels Lenja – lenjarigels@gmail.com Email apj.albania@gmail.com Website Facebook   Asociacioni i Gazetarëve të Shqipërisë (AGSH) Association of Journalists of Albania (AJA) Address Rruga Muhamet Deliu, Pallati Rear, Shk.3; Kati 5, ap 29, Tirana, Albania Phone 00355692303939 Staff Isa Myzyraj (chairperson) – Isamyzyraj@gmail.com, Isa.myzyraj@agsh.al Contact Person Isa Myzyraj – Isamyzyraj@gmail.com, Isa.myzyraj@agsh.al Email Info@agsh.al Social media Website Facebook Instagram X   Shoqata e Gazetarëve…

An agreement was reached on Tuesday 15 December between the European Parliament and the Council on the controversial draft Trade Secrets Directive. After intense debates, the final text improve the legal certainty as regards the exception for exercising the right to freedom of expression and information but journalists and media associations will remain vigilant. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Reporters Without Borders (RWB), the European Magazine Media Association (EMMA), the European Newspaper Publishers’ Association (ENPA) and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU – UER) take note of the generally positive amendments made to the initial draft Directive on Trade Secrets.…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) together with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters sans frontières (RSF) held this Tuesday (15/12/2015) a lunch time debate at the Brussels Press Club to discuss recent developments on press freedom in Turkey and reactions from EU institutions. Before analyzing the EU recent strategic posture as regards to Turkey, Jean-Paul Marthoz (CPJ EU Correspondent), opened the debate reminding an important press freedom degradation symptom:  while the number of journalists in jail globally has declined modestly from the record highs of the past three years, in Turkey the number has…