The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined today the partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium in expressing our condolences with the victims of the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and reiterating the need for a free media atmosphere as a crucial element of all disaster relief processes. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes with epicentre in the province of Kahramanmaraş in Turkey on Monday 6 February 2023, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners have received multiple reports of press and media freedom violations including detentions of journalists and media workers, investigations for incitement to hatred in…

Mortaza Behboudi, a French-Afghan journalist living in France, was arrested on 7 January in Kabul, two days after arriving in Afghanistan, as he was about to collect his press accreditation. He is still being held in Afghanistan. The French journalists’ unions SNJ, SNJ-CGT, CFDT-Journalistes, SGJ-FO, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) join the appeal launched by 15 French media and production companies as well as several French associations and institutions demanding the release of Mortaza Behboudi, who is arbitrarily detained by the Afghan authorities. The SNJ, SNJ-CGT, CFDT-Journalistes and SGJ-FO – members of…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), alongside 50 journalists, press freedom organisations, European trade unions, civil society and digital rights groups, is calling on the Members of the European Parliament to start their crucial work as co-legislators for a strengthened European Media Freedom Act. Captured media markets increasingly hinder media freedom and pluralism, the precondition of a stable democracy and the rule of law. We are calling on Members of the European Parliament to engage constructively in this vital debate to ensure that the EMFA becomes a strong, coherent regulation establishing harmonised legal safeguards across Europe. We sent them the following letter: Dear…

Update (10/02/2023) The Executive Board of the Polish Journalists Association (SDP) issued a statement condemning the verdict and calling on Belarusian authorities to release the journalist. Full SDP statement here. Update (17/02/2023) The Society of Journalists (TD) issued a statement on the case of journalists currently imprisoned in Belarus. They demand the immediate release of journalist Andrzej Poczobut. Full TD statement here. ————————— Hrodna Regional Court sentenced Polish-Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut to eight years in prison, on 8 February 2023. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) joined their affiliate the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) in condemning a political…

The German media group RTL, part of Bertelsmann, announced on 7 February 2023 its decision to stop the publication of 23 print magazines and to potentially sell others. This decision would put 700 jobs at risk, including freelancing jobs. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) demands the opening of immediate negotiations between RTL and the journalists’ organisations (dju in ver.di and DJV) in Germany. Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Rabe, who took the position on 1 April 2019, said that RTL Group was adjusting to “the rapidly changing media landscape” and that it would focus on “core brands”, including Stern, GEO and Capital.…

In recent days, state officials in North Macedonia have verbally abused journalists and media outlets on several occasions. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliate in North Macedonia, the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM), in condemning the inappropriate behaviour of public figures and reminding them of the moral obligations that go with public office. Since 16 January, the Prime Minister, several ministers and the president of a political party have used degrading language against several journalists who were doing their job by asking questions, sometimes embarrassing, to prominent public figures in North Macedonia. Specifically on 16 January,…

The partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) publish the latest edition of their Monitoring Report, analysing the state of press and media freedom throughout EU Member States and candidate countries in 2022. The Monitoring Report – produced by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the International Press Institute (IPI), and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) as part of the MFRR – gathers and analyses all media freedom violations recorded on Mapping Media Freedom throughout the year 2022.  War in Ukraine The current monitoring report starts with a thematic chapter on the war in Ukraine…

On 24 February 2023, it will be one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ/EFJ) are launching a new fundraising campaign to support Ukrainian journalists on the ground. Ukraine became the deadliest country for journalists in 2022 with 12 colleagues killed in the course of their work, according to the IFJ’s Killed List, and the needs are immense. The war still rages, and affects all dimensions of journalists’ lives from increasing insecurity, to the need for protection equipment and safety training and humanitarian aid for those forced to flee. As a response to the emergency situation,…

On 3 February, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its partners co-signed the following letter to the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti (VV), following the appointment of a ruling party activist as director of the public television RTK. Dear Albin Kurti, President of Vetevendosje Movement (VV) and Prime Minister of Kosovo, Our international press freedom and journalists’ organisations are writing to you to share our shared concerns about the recent appointment process for the new director of television at Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) Mr. Rilind Gërvalla. Ahead of the voting by the Board of RTK on Tuesday…

The MFRR Summit is back! This year, the conference titled “Press Freedom on the Line” will take place online from 29 – 31 March 2023. Reflecting the MFRR’s core campaign areas, the online conference will host in-depth discussions on journalist safety, media capture, the rule of law, and SLAPPs. Hosted on Zoom for interactive participation, and simultaneously livestreamed on the MFRR YouTube channel, the conference will play host to a range of panel discussions, live interviews, and keynote speeches with journalists, media freedom experts, policy-makers, and other stakeholders all working to defend press freedom. Take a look at the daily breakdown…

A Russian court on 1st February sentenced in absentia veteran journalist Alexander Nevzorov to eight years in prison for spreading so-called “false information” about Russia’s war on Ukraine. The European and International Federations of Journalism (EFJ-IFJ) join their Russian affiliate JMWU in condemning this criminalisation of journalism and call on the Russian authorities to review the ruling. Nevzorov came under pressure from authorities for alleging that Russian forces deliberately shelled a maternity hospital in Mariupol, in southern Ukraine. “Journalist Alexander Glebovich Nevzorov was found guilty (…) and sentenced to imprisonment for a period of eight years,” the press service for…

Wage increases are key for working people to maintain a decent standard of living through the cost-of-living crisis. Yet, following years of stagnating wages, the UK government is now attempting to push through legislation to curtail strikes for legitimate pay demands. European trade union federations (ETUFs), including the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), regret the UK government’s conflictual approach and support Britain’s striking workers and their trade unions. The UK government claims it is aligning its laws with those of other Western European countries. The reality is that British strike laws are already amongst the most restrictive of comparable countries…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) fully supports the call by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, to impose a moratorium on the use of highly intrusive spyware by governments. The EFJ recalls that many journalists have been victims of this abusive surveillance, notably in Hungary, Greece, Spain, France, Belgium and Azerbaijan. In 2021, the Pegasus Project, one of the most ambitious transnational investigative journalism projects, coordinated by Forbidden Stories and assisted by Amnesty International’s forensic lab, exposed the use of spyware to surreptitiously penetrate journalists’ communications. In Hungary, investigations continued into the use of Pegasus…

A new Centre for the Safety of Journalists and Media Workers has been established in Thessaloniki (Greece). The centre, whose opening was delayed by two years due to Covid-19 restrictions, will deal with issues related to the safety of journalists and media workers in war and crisis zones, as well as in daily work. It is supported by the Journalists’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace (ESIEMTH) and is under the scientific responsibility of the Peace Journalism Laboratory of the School of Journalism and Mass Media Studies in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The Centre will offer a 29-hour course on…

The European Trade Union Federations (ETUFs) representing tens of millions of workers across all countries and sectors in the EU and beyond in Europe strongly condemn the UK government’s draft legislation on minimum service. It needs to be withdrawn. The UK Conservative government created a mess by refusing to negotiate with workers. Workers demand recognition and decent pay and conditions and a response to the cost-of-living crisis. Instead of serious attempts to negotiate settlements to the current disputes about pay and staffing levels for public service workers, the Conservative government is pushing through a new bill that will impose minimum…

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the Safe Journalists Network today condemn the shocking physical attack on Albanian journalist Elvis Hila and his wife in Lezhë and urge state law enforcement authorities to swiftly detain the suspected perpetrators and ensure that all those responsible face justice. The violent attack took place at around 4.40pm on Wednesday 25 January, one day after Hila had reported for shqiptarja.com and Report TV about a local court case in Lezhë in which a defendant had been sentenced to a year in prison for forgery of a court document. Soon after publication, Hila said…