The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) are today (27/11/2015) calling on the Turkish authorities to immediately release journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül and drop all charges against them. The two journalists working for the daily newspaper Cumhuriyet have been arrested yesterday in Istanbul following a judicial complain initiated by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on charges of “procuring information as to state security”, “political and military espionage”, “declaring confidential information” and “doing propaganda on behalf of a terror organization”. All accusations are in fact based on the article and footage released by Cumhuriyet on May 29 with the headline “Here are the weapons Erdogan…

EDITORIAL BY MOGENS BLICHER BJERREGARD, EFJ PRESIDENT The EFJ newsletter, EFJ Focus, is available in English, French and German. Labour rights in South Eastern Europe All evidence shows that strong unions and labour rights are prerequisites for journalists to guarantee quality journalism. This is the message I delivered in a high-level European conference (see below) on  media freedom in Western Balkans and Turkey on 4 November in Brussels. I stressed the importance of journalists’ labour rights, capacity building of journalists’ organisations and a long-term action plan to improve the working conditions of journalists and achieve media freedom in the region. The European Commissioner…

To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has joined European trade unionists pledging to end violence against women at workplace and in society. According to the European Trade Union Congress (ETUC), the shocking facts are that One in three women have been a victim of physical and/or sexual violence. Just over 1 in 10 of those women were assaulted by someone from work – a supervisor, colleague or customer. Up to half of women in European Union countries experience unwanted sexual advances, physical contact or other forms…

Update (07/07/2016): The prosecuted journalists were acquitted in Vatileaks trial. Vatican Court declared it has no jurisdiction to try journalists in leaks scandal. ——- Italian journalists Emiliano Fittipaldi and Gianluigi Nuzzi are facing up to eight years in jail in Vatican if convicted for publishing books revealing alleged corruption and mismanagement of tens of millions of Vatican funds based on leaked documents. The two journalists called the process “Kafka-esque”. Neither they nor their lawyers had seen the court file detailing the accusations against them hours prior to the trial. Gianluigi Nuzzi spoke for the first time with his Vatican court-appointed lawyer Monday…

A new survey launched by the European Federation of Journalists reveals the diversity of the freelancers’ professional situations and disparities of their labour rights’ protection in Europe. On 19th November, the EFJ had its biannual meeting with the Freelance Experts’ Group (FREG). Together, they discussed the results of the survey “Mapping Freelance Journalists” conducted since May by the EFJ to collect updated database regarding the social status of the freelance journalists and their representation in professional associations and unions in Europe. Thirty-three organisations from 28 countries have responded to the online questionnaire. The results reveal disturbing disparities between levels of freelancers…

    LITHUANIAN JOURNALISTS’ UNION (LŽS) Address Jogailos g. 11, Vilnius 01116, Lithuania President Audrys Antanaitis – pirmininkas@lzs.lt; audrys.antanaitis@lzs.lt Phone + (85) 212 2805 Email info@lzs.lt Website http://www.lzs.lt/   LITHUANIAN ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS (ZPA) Address Jazminy g. 15, Purmaliy k., LT-92444 Klaipèdos, Lithuania President Chair of the Board Birutė Davidonytė – birute@redakcija.eu Jurate Damulyte – j.damulyte@gmail.com Phone +37 0612 77 817 Email lzasociacija@gmail.com Website https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552577721568  

Update (18/12/2015): The ILO received a total of 258 entries from contestants in 68 countries. Follow this link to discover the winners. ———————- Recent debates on the migrants and refugees crisis have put media under spotlight raising the question of fair and ethical reporting. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has launched its first-ever global competition for the media, entitled ‘Reporting Fairly on Labour Migration’ to recognise exemplary media coverage on the topic. The winner will be announced on the International Migrants Day on 18 December and he/she will receive $1,000. The work of the winner will be promoted widely as an example of good practices worldwide. The competition is organised…

In wake of the Paris attacks, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has expressed its solidarity with the families and friends of the journalist Guillaume B. Decherf and cameraman Mathieu Hoche, as well as all citizens who are affected by the attack on Friday 13 November. “The French people has responded admirably to the terrorists by declaring loudly that they were not afraid. So as the journalists who are working round the clock bringing citizens information about the attack,” said the EFJ General Secretary, Ricardo Gutierrez. “Journalists will not give in. As they have done it in the aftermath of…

Imagine you are being locked away in a prison for 14 years without trial for crimes you have not committed? On Sunday 15 November, you can experience the injustice facing the Swedish-Eritrean journalist, Dawit Isaak, who has been detailed Eritrea for 14 years now. To share the solidarity with Dawit, you will be put in a  four square metres of pitch dark and stifled surroundings symbolize Dawit Isaak’s prison cell for 15 minutes. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) will join a campaign launched by the Belgian branch of the world association of writers, PEN, to highlight the struggle of…

In view of the ongoing trilogue negotiations, informal tripartite meetings attended by representatives of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on reaching the proposal for an EU directive (also know as trade secrets directive) “on the protection of undisclosed know-how and business information against their unlawful acquisition, use and disclosure”, journalists’ and media organisations expressed their concern regarding a potential damaging impact on press freedom. A letter has been sent to the rapporteur, shadow-rapporteurs, members of the European Parliament of the Legal Committee, the Permanent representatives of the EU member states (COREPER) and relevant  contacts in the European…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has received worrying reports concerning a smear campaign against independent and investigative journalists working for the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), the Centre for Investigative Journalist (CINS) and the Crime and Corruption Reporting Network (KRIK) in Serbia. According to BIRN Serbia, the Serbian Prime minister Aleksandar Vucic publicly supported “the theory that independent investigative centres in Serbia are paid by foreign donors to destabilise the government” and the prime minister “is using his position to dismiss opponents, qualifying them as mobsters, thieves and criminals despite no evidence or opportunity for them to defend themselves. This creates an…

EFJ Director Renate Schroeder was invited by the European Free Alliance/The Greens to a panel discussion about “Press Freedom-keeping Journalists safe” yesterday in the European Parliament. She informed the meeting about the different activities the EFJ is involved when it comes to mapping media freedom, the Council of Europe Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and pledged the EP to stand up for journalist’ rights, media freedom and democracy, which at the moment is too often compromised by geopolitical interest. Sasa Lekovic, President of EFJ affiliate, the Croatian Journalists’ Association, and co-author presented the SEEMO…

On November 11, the Budapest Centre for the International Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities hosted a round-table on the role of journalists in preventing genocide and countering extremism at the Hungarian Institute of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The opening panel featured the keynote speech of András Trom, Head of Section of Foreign and Security Policy of the Association of Hungarian Journalists (MUOSZ), an EFJ affiliate. The Budapest Centre noted that “Trom pointed out the key role that journalists have in society, insofar as they are charged with reporting on events and thus mediating people’s understanding of reality. In this sense, the quality…

Greek media will strike will hold a 24-hour strike starting from 6:00 am on Thursday until 6:00 am on Friday, following the general strike that has been scheduled by the country’s public and private sector unions, including the Panhellenic Federation of Journalists’ Unions (an EFJ affiliate), for Thursday 12 November. The strike for journalists covers all print media (newspapers and magazines), public broadcaster ERT and all private TV, radio and internet media, Athens-Macedonian News Agency, Secretariat General of Information and Communication and all Press Offices. The Journalists’ Union of the Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN-ESIEA), also member of the EFJ, has called on its…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) and their affiliate the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) reviewed the implications for journalists and trade union rights following the victory of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the re-run of Turkey’s national elections this weekend, during a Press briefing at the Brussels Press Club, 5 November 2015. Anthony Bellanger IFJ General Secretary said that : “Before Sunday’s elections, to be a journalist in Turkey wasn’t easy but now it will be even more difficult. Turkey was the biggest prison for journalists in Europe with around 20 journalists still held in prisons…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has expressed extreme concerns over recent ”witch hunt” and attacks on journalists who cover the refugees and migrants crisis. Since last Friday 30 October, two journalists were attacked during the anti-migrants protest called “Pegida demonstrations” launched by the German far-right groups in Berlin. Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, the EFJ President said, “the witch hunt on journalists covering the crisis is worrying. Journalists shall not become the target for telling the truth.” Helmut Schümann, a journalist working for the daily Tagesspiegel in Berlin was one of the journalists who were attacked. According to Schümann, he was tracked down by far-right…