The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the International Press Institute (IPI) and 15 press freedom organisations in strongly condemning the elongated pretrial detention of journalist Furkan Karabay, who faces a prison sentence of 6 to 15 years and call for his immediate release. Karabay has now spent 117 days in prison over his journalistic commentary. Karabay, who has previously worked as an editor and reporter for news portals outlets such as Gerçek Gündem and 10Haber, has been held in pretrial detention for over 100 days and his indictment was prepared on September 5. He is charged with “making targets…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), together with the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS), strongly condemns the conduct of law enforcement officers of Serbia’s Ministry of Interior (MUP), who, during last night’s student protest in Novi Sad, used excessive force against students and citizens and obstructed journalists in the performance of their work. Several journalists were attacked, prevented from reporting, or subjected to ID checks and searches without legal grounds. Among the documented cases by NUNS, Emir Kahrimanović (021.rs) was reporting from the riverside quay as police charged the crowd. In footage he recorded, he can be heard repeatedly…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in expressing serious concern over the threat of political interference in the operations of the United Group’s media outlets in Serbia, which owns the major independent television news channels that are active in Serbia, N1 and Nova TV. On 27 August 2025, new information revealed by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and published in collaboration with the investigative outlet KRIK suggested that Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić intends to undermine the independence of N1 and Nova TV. A leaked recording emerged of…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins the partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in condemning the five-day broadcast blackout imposed on TELE1 since September 1, and the escalating use of censorship sanctions by RTÜK, Turkey’s broadcast regulator, against independent critical media outlets. We urge authorities to stop targeting critical and opposing views and uphold media pluralism in line with democratic standards. On July 24, 2025, Turkey’s broadcast regulator RTÜK imposed severe penalties against critical broadcasters, including a temporary broadcast blackout and hefty administrative fines targeting TELE1. The punishment was based on remarks by the channel’s editor-in-chief Merdan…

In the run-up to the Czech parliamentary elections on 3 and 4 October 2025, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) supports this ten priority recommendations to political parties aimed at preventing undue restrictions on media freedom and access to information, but also increasing the protection of Czech and exiled journalists, strengthening the independence of public service media, as well as establishing fair and transparent conditions for the functioning of the media market. These recommendations are needed for media freedom to be maintained and improved in Czechia, ranked 10th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2025 World Press Freedom Index. Developed…

At the rate journalists are being killed in Gaza by the Israeli army, there will soon be no one left to keep you informed. In an unprecedented global action, almost 200 media outlets from 50 countries are simultaneously disrupting their front pages, homepages, and broadcasts to demand an end to the killing of journalists in Gaza and to call for international press access to the enclave. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the action, coordinated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the global campaigning movement Avaaz and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), on 1 September 2025. Print newspapers will run blacked-out front…