The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes the publication on Wednesday 5 July 2023 of the Report on the Rule of Law by the European Commission. This fourth annual report again highlights the threats to media pluralism and the safety of journalists in EU Member States. This is further proof of the urgent need for a strong European Media Freedom Act and other measures to compel Member States to take action. The fourth EU Rule of Law report features specific recommendations targeted at individual member states. This year, 19 EU countries – compared to 16 last year – have been urged to take measures to…

Objectives and design of the project The Dutch-speaking Press Council in Belgium (Raad) and the Council for Mass Media in Finland (MGCCM) are launching a project to support organisations that want to set up new press or media councils in countries or regions where one does not yet exist. The project is part of the Media Councils in the Digital Age #4 project, which is co-funded by the European Commission. The call is addressed to journalist associations, (umbrella organizations of) media organisations or other relevant stakeholders. As bodies of journalistic self-regulation, press and media councils are critical to a democratic…

To the EU Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission On behalf of media freedom, journalists and human rights organizations across Europe, we call upon the European Union institutions to negotiate a strong and effective European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) that can counter media capture and protect editorial independence and media pluralism across Europe. Media freedom is in crisis in many EU countries as populist governments and oligarchs collaborate to misuse powers of the state to bolster propaganda and drown out independent media critics. Increasingly, public broadcasters are turned into propaganda platforms while media regulators are captured by political…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) condemns the excessive use of force by the police, the lockdown of the village, and the arrest of journalists, during the recent environmental protests in the village of Soyudlu in western Azerbaijan. The EFJ calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to promptly investigate all allegations of violations related to these protests. On 20 June, residents took their grievances to the streets of the village, objecting to the construction plans for a second artificial lake. Residents say the existing artificial lake, built in 2012, is used to dump toxic waste from the mine. The waste is…

The results of the 2023 Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM), which have just been published, confirm the decline in media pluralism in Europe. Of the 32 countries analysed (the 27 EU Member States and the five candidate countries), barely seven present a satisfactory situation. For the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), this new study confirms the urgent need to considerably strengthen the provisions of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which is currently being examined by the European Parliament. “This scientific study is a real setback for European governments, who have just watered down the EMFA when the evidence shows that…

Spanish freelance reporter Pablo González, accused of spying for Russia, has been in pre-trial detention in Poland for more than 16 months without any evidence of the allegations against him being made public. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EJF), together with their Spanish affiliates and organisations that support this journalist, urge the Polish authorities to release González and ensure he receives a fair trial. Organisations and groups supporting Spanish journalist Pablo González gathered at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, on 4 July to denounce his detention. This is an unprecedented case; González is the only journalist imprisoned…

Together with 79 journalists and press freedom, civil society, trade unions, digital rights, publishers and broadcasters organisations, the European Federation of Journalists has sent an open letter today to all members of the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE), which is discussing the amendments to Article 4 on protection of sources and use of spyware against journalists of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). While the European Media Freedom Act represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to safeguard the rights of journalists, the letter says, the recently-adopted Council’s general approach permits the deployment of “intrusive surveillance software” against media service providers on broad national security…

Prominent investigative journalist Yelena Milashina has been badly beaten and had fingers broken by masked men as she travelled to a court in Grozny, Chechnya, on Monday morning. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) condemn this brutal beating and demand an investigation into this vicious attack. Yelena Milashina, who writes for Novaya Gazeta newspaper, was travelling with a lawyer, Alexander Nemov. Their car was stopped by three cars with armed men as they drove to the capital, Grozny, to witness the trial of the wife of a former judge of the Republic’s Supreme Court. “It was a classic…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) commemorates the 20th anniversary of the death of Russian journalist Yuri Shchekochikhin today. Shchekochikhin, 53, then deputy editor of the independent Moscow twice-weekly Novaya Gazeta, died 12 days after being hospitalized in a Moscow clinic with what doctors said was an acute allergic reaction. He died suddenly on 3 July 2003 a few days before his scheduled departure to the United States, where he planned to meet with FBI investigators. His medical documents were either lost or destroyed by authorities. The EFJ and IFJ believe the journalist was poisoned to prevent him…

The French group Avisa Partners, specialising in economic intelligence, influence strategy and cybersecurity, has decided to withdraw all the legal proceedings it had brought against a number of French media. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes this act of appeasement, following our joint open letter to the European Commission on the practices of e-influencers. After a series of exchanges with the EFJ, Arnaud Dassier, Chairman of Avisa Partners, informed us that “in the interests of appeasement and with the desire not to be associated with proceedings that could be interpreted as seeking to hinder press freedom, Avisa Partners has…

The undersigned organisations call on the incoming Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union to place media freedom and human rights front and centre of relations with the newly re-elected Government of Turkey. The May elections, which saw a parliamentary majority for the AKP and its allies and the re-election of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as President, took place against a backdrop of a media landscape dominated by pro-government outlets, the smothering of independent voices and the repression of critical journalism. Over the past two decades, Turkey’s government has captured over 90% of the media landscape, including direct control…

Journalist Merdan Yanardağ, editor-in-chief of Turkish broadcaster TELE1, was arrested on 27 June following a judicial investigation into his televised remarks about imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) demands his immediate release. Yanardağ was charged with “praising crime and the criminal” as well as “propaganda for a terrorist organisation”, following his comments about Öcalan during a television programme broadcast on TELE1 on 20 June. During his speech, Yanardağ said, “Öcalan is Turkey’s longest serving political prisoner. If normal execution laws were applicable, he should in fact be released… The isolation imposed on…

The President of the Turkish Cypriot Press Workers’ Union (Basın-Sen), journalist Ali Kişmir, was forced to resign from the online channel TV20 because of his reaction to the censorship of a critical article on Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar published on the channel’s website. The information was made public last Friday. Kişmir announced that following the censorship of his article, the channel’s directors put a stop to his television programmes. The censorship came after the ‘presidency’ had repeatedly contacted TV20 owners about the article. EFJ Vice President Mustafa Kuleli reacted to the forced dismissal of Ali Kişmir and said that it…

Update (12/10/2023): On 12 October 2023, the Court of Rome sentenced Roberto Saviano to a fine of 1,000 euros for defamation. The EFJ condemns this judgement, pointing out that freedom of expression, as defined by the European Court of Human Rights, also applies to statements that offend, shock or disturb. The EFJ calls on Italian authorities to decriminalise defamation and to establish reasonable limits on damages within civil law to protect media freedom, freedom of expression, and the public’s right to know. —— The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the undersigned international media freedom and journalists’ organisations and stands…

Germany’s top-selling tabloid Bild announced that it will cut about 200 jobs and close about one-third of its regional editions across the country. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliates in Germany, the DJV and dju in ver.di, in opposing the plans of publisher Axel Springer SE and calling for no journalists to be dismissed. The move comes after the company launched a major shift to go totally digital this year. Citing an email sent to the staff on Monday 19 June 2023, The Guardian first reported that the Bild would “parting ways with colleagues who have tasks…

Together with 17 media outlets, journalists’ and press freedom organisations, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today sent an open letter to Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, and Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, to denounce the abusive practices of some reputation management companies operating in the European Union towards journalists and access to information. Last February, the media NGO Forbidden Stories – which continues the work of assassinated journalists – published its latest investigation into disinformation mercenaries, “Story Killers”, and revealed the practices of one player in particular: Eliminalia, a Spanish reputation management company that offers to…