September 19 marks one year since the death of Victoria Roshchyna, a Ukrainian journalist who had been held for over a year in Russian captivity. On this day, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its MFRR partners in remembering Victoria and demanding justice for her death from Russian authorities. Roshchyna’s body was repatriated to Ukraine and buried in Kyiv only on 8 August 2025, almost one year after the official date of her death recorded by Russian authorities. According to Ukrainian forensic investigators, Roshchyna’s body showed numerous signs of torture, including burn marks from electric shocks, cuts on the…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the Safe Journalists Network (SJN) and the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in expressing, in an open letter to the Parliament of Albania, our serious concern over recent proposals by the parliamentary majority to significantly restrict journalists’ access to the Parliament of Albania.

The Danish government has announced its intention to introduce a public-funded Ombudsperson for the media with broad legal powers concentrated into a single state-appointed institution. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), as well as Danish media and journalist groups in opposing the proposal, warning that rather than strengthening the existing media regulatory framework, it would weaken the role of the Press Council and risks creating new avenues for unjustified or politicised interference in healthy media ecosystem. The role and powers given to the new Media Ombudsperson were outlined by the…

The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) is helping 10 journalists and media workers resettle abroad after their release in Lithuania on 11 September, in a deal brokered by the United States. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins BAJ in condemning the “forcible expulsion” and calls for international solidarity to support those rebuilding their lives outside Belarus and the 28 journalists still behind bars. The 10 journalists and 42 other political prisoners were brought to Lithuania by bus in what has been described as “forced exile,” with most of them nearing the end of their prison sentences. Without passports nor…

This Monitoring Report takes stock of the press freedom situation in 36 EU Member States and candidate countries during the first six months of 2025. Between January and June, the Mapping Media Freedom database documented 709 press freedom violations, affecting 1249 media workers or entities.  The report documents a vast variety of attacks, indicating that media workers in Europe operate in an increasingly hostile environment. The types of attacks documented included verbal attacks – such as death threats and smear campaigns – physical attacks, attacks to property, legal incidents, and interference with reporting work.  Media workers faced threats in different…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes the release on Thursday of 52 political prisoners, including 9 journalists, by the Belarusian authorities. There are still 27 journalists in prison in Belarus. The EFJ demands their immediate release. On Thursday, Belarus has freed 52 political prisoners of different nationalities. They have crossed into Lithuania, in what appeared to be the largest release of detainees in years. The release was announced as Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko met in Minsk with John Coale, a representative of US President Donald Trump. In return, the United States announced that they were lifting sanctions on the Belarusian…