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…