UPDATE (24.04.2017). Italian journalist Gabriele Del Grande has been released in Turkey. ————- The Italian affiliate of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the Federazione nazionale della stampa italiana (FNSI), gathered in Rome on Tuesday 11 April to call for the release of Gabriele Del Grande, an Italian journalist arrested by the Turkish authorities at the border with Syria. “We hope his swift release and immediate return to Italy, while we thank the Italian diplomatic authorities, which is closely following the case”, said the General Secretary and the President of the FNSI, Raffaele Lorusso and Giuseppe Giulietti. Gabriele Del Grande…

English / Pусский #GazetecilikSuçDegildir / #JournalismisNotaCrime La campagne pour libérer le journalisme, développer les droits syndicaux et défendre la liberté d’expression en Turquie L’objectif général du projet est de promouvoir et de protéger les droits fondamentaux en renforçant le rôle des journalistes dans la promotion de la démocratie, de la bonne gouvernance et du droit du public à accéder à l’information. La liberté d’expression est un droit qui permet l’exercice des autres droits fondamentaux. Grâce à un journalisme de qualité, les journalistes oeuvrent pour rapporter les vérités et exposer les abus tout en visant à responsabiliser les responsables. Le renforcement de…

English – Français #GazetecilikSuçDegildir / #JournalismIsNotaCrime Эта кампания направлена на защиту свободы СМИ и свободы самовыражения, а также на развитие профсоюзных прав в Турции Основная цель акции заключается в поддержке и защите фундаментальных прав при помощи расширения роли журналистов в продвижении демократии, эффективного государственного управления и права граждан на доступ к информации. Наличие свободы самовыражения облегчает соблюдение других прав человека. Профессиональная журналистика при помощи свободы самовыражения получает возможность выявить нарушения прав человека и призвать ответственных в нарушении к ответу. Основой демократии является укрепление роли журналистов, а также свобода, при которой журналисты могут выполнять свою работу в предоставлении независимой и критической информации обществу.…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), regional organisation of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), works with a broad range of like-minded partners in the media, trade union and NGO sectors. EFJ is member of the following organisations : Full member of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) Full member of the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) Full member Ethical Journalism Network (EJN) Full member of European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) Full member of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) Full member of IFEX Full member of the International CSO Safety of Journalists Coalition (ICSO SoJ) Full…

At the end of each year, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) publishes a list of all the journalists and media professionals killed in the course of their work over the previous 12 months. As part of its ongoing commitment to tackle impunity and campaign for greater safety for journalists, the IFJ is publishing The story behind the killings – a in-depth analysis of each region with an explanation of the victims and circumstances of each death. The report lists details of 93 media professionals killed in work-related incidents such as targeted murders, bomb attacks and crossfire incidents last year, a…

The European Center for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) organised on Tuesday 31 its second conference on media concentration in Dublin, Ireland. A day before the conference to which the EFJ, NUJ, the Florence based CPMF, a member of the European Parliament and Irish politician fighting for media pluralism were invited,  the NUJ demanded that businessman Denis O’Brien should be called before an Oireachtas committee in relation to Independent News & Media’s proposed takeover of a local newspaper group. The National Union of Journalists wrote to the chair of the Oireachtas Communications Committee in relation to the proposed takeover of…

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Tuesday discussed the rising levels of violence against journalists, particularly in Turkey, Russia and Azerbaijan. Ukrainian MP Volodymyr Ariev (EPP/CD), pictured above, presented the report, where he drew attention to the death of 16 journalists and the arrest of 150 media employees since January 2015 in member States. Mr. Ariev spoke about the deterioration of media freedom in Turkey and called for “release from detention all journalists who have not been indicted for actively participating in terrorist acts”. He also raised concerns on the media situation in Crimea and eastern parts of Ukraine.…

On the tenth anniversary of the assassination of Mr Hrant Dink, EFJ-IFJ and partner organisations of the Council of Europe Platform decided to jointly submit a new case under the ‘impunity’ category in relation to the murder of the Turkish-Armenian journalist. The organisations call on the Turkish authorities to ensure that those who failed to protect the journalist and prepared false reports are brought to justice through an open and transparent judicial process. Read the alert here.   On 19 January 2007, Hrant Dink, the Turkish-Armenian journalist and founder of Agos newspaper, was shot dead at 15:05 on the street in front…

The Ethical Journalism Network launched on Tuesday 10 January the report Ethics in the News which aims to throw some light on ethical challenges for media and gives journalists some key tips on ethical survival techniques. In Europe and America the report looks at how media covered the UK vote to leave the European Union and the Trump election which intensified concerns about the revival of racism, extremism and political propaganda across the western world. Ethics in the News analyses fake news and how journalism with a public purpose can be overwhelmed in a do-it-yourself world of communications that has…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is backing the statement sent by its affiliates TGS, TGC and DISK Basin-Is calling the Turkish authorities to stop the criminalisation of journalists and media workers in Turkey. On 25/12/2016, the following journalists and media workers Tunca Öğreten (freelance), Mahir Kanaat (accountant for BirGün daily), Ömer Celik (DIHABER news director), Metin Yoksa (DIHABER correspondent) and Eray Saygin have been detained by police and no explanation has been provided for these arrests. “You cannot hide the truth by jailing journalists”, said Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) in a statement. DISK-Basin Is underlines the fact that…

The EFJ newsletter, EFJ Focus, is available in English and in German.   EDITORIAL The situation for journalists in Turkey has worsened during this summer and after the coup attempt on July 15. Journalists were targeted during that day. One of them, Mustafa Cambaz, paid the highest prize with his life. After the coup attempt, journalists were detained, media outlets were shut down and fear were spreading. I made contact with Thorbjørn Jagland, the General Secretary of the Council of Europe, to call for an urgent meeting with partners of the Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety…

The EFJ newsletter, EFJ Focus, is available in English and in German. EDITORIAL As the year comes to an end, we have witnessed many ups and downs in media development. There will be challenges for us in the coming year – fighting for media freedom, quality journalism and better working conditions for journalists. But there are also hopes. Carrying on the positive spirit from this year, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) will continue our fight for journalists. Our focus for the coming year will be: Safety for journalists 2016 is a record year for the number of jailed journalists…

Propaganda pressure on the EU from Russia and Islamist terrorist groups is growing, the European Parliament warned in a non-legislative resolution voted on Wednesday. To counteract so-called anti-EU campaigns, MEPs suggested reinforcing the EU’s “strategic communication” task force and investing more in awareness raising, media literacy, online and local media as well as investigative journalism. The resolution calls on EU member states to boost funding for counter-propaganda projects. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is not convinced by this controversial resolution. A total of 691 MEPs participated in the vote: 304 (44%) voted in favor of the resolution dubbed “EU…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) attended on 17-18 November 2016 the second edition of EU colloquium on fundamental rights dedicated this year to media pluralism and democracy. Hosted by Frans Timmermans, the European Commission’s first vice-president said in his opening speech that “being a journalist has become one of the most dangerous professions worldwide. Being a journalist is dangerous because of the physical dangers, it’s dangerous because of all the abuse you get all the time – online and elsewhere – it’s dangerous also because you take huge risks with the sustainability of your finances since it also is…

Over 100 delegates from 19 countries in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) and beyond came together in Prague last week to discuss the need to protect the independence and sustainability of public service media (PSM) in the face of numerous challenges. The conference was hosted by the Czech Parliament in Prague, and organized by the Council of Europe, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Czech Television and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Public service broadcasters, Parliamentarians, regulators, diplomats, academics and experts from a range of organisations including the Council of Europe, Venice Commission, OSCE and the European Federation of…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) held a meeting on 9 November with the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks and his team at the EFJ headquarters in Brussels. The two teams discussed current threats to media freedoms in Europe especially the situation in Turkey and abuses of defamation laws against journalists in EU countries. EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutiérrez presented the main challenges and projects the EFJ is currently working on, namely the independence and the strengthening of public service broadcasting in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, the oppressive emergency situation in Turkey and the increase of self-censorship and hate speech in the…