European Federation of Journalists

Media Freedom Rapid Response

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is a partner of Media Freedom Rapid Response project (MFRR) aiming to promote an independent, pluralistic media landscape, to safeguard media workers, especially harassed female media workers and to protect the rights of journalists. The RRM helps to mitigate the consequences of the recently observed deterioration of media freedom in several European Union, Member States and Candidate Countries.

Overall Objective

The overall objective of this project is to provide practical support for journalists to improve media freedom in Europe.

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) is designed to detect, answer and prevent violations of press and media freedom. It consists of three layers: monitoring, categorisation, responses.

Specific objectives

1. Mapping Media Freedom (MMF) in Europe (EU & Candidate Countries): Media violations are on the rise especially under the current coronavirus crisis. One of the key components of the project is to monitor and document a wide range of media violations conducted by any actors, whether individuals, state actors or business, so that actions can be taken rapidly to address the violations.

2. Practical supports: Based on the media violations reported, the project offers a wide range of immediate to long-term, practical support ranging from legal help, safety advice and training, safe house for journalists, advocacy and mission, and online resources. You could find more information about the legal support here and more details about safe house for journalists here.

3. Advocacy & Trial Monitoring: Joint media advocacy will also be carried out by the project including joint statements, national missions (in Czech Republic, Hungry, Spain, Serbia), roundtable advocacy meetings with EU policy-makers. The EFJ will involve the relevant national members when carrying out such national missions. Trial Monitoring especially for Turkey, Malta (for the case of Daphne Caruana Galizia) and Slovakia (for the case of Ján Kuciak) will be carried out and participated by the project partners to help find justice for journalists who are put in jails or murdered.

Anyone can submit and report a media violation to the MMF platform online.

Actions

Monitoring Report 2024: 1,548 media freedom alerts in the past year

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) published its annual Monitoring Report analysing the press freedom situation in 35 European countries, including the 27 EU Member States and nine countries with EU candidate status. Between January and December 2024, Mapping Media Freedom documented 1,548 press freedom violations targeting 2,567 media-related persons or entities – an alarming increase compared to the 1,153 violations recorded in 2023. Smear campaigns, websites disguised as legitimate news outlets, and obstruction and attacks during reporting are just a few of the major issues media workers faced in 2024. Journalists also faced verbal attacks, physical assault, attacks against…

Turkey: EFJ and partners call for action as press freedom violations surge

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), together with undersigned press freedom, freedom of expression, human rights, and journalists’ organizations, and media outlets, expresses serious concern over the recent escalation of press freedom violations in Turkey, marking a troubling start to the new year. The frequent use of arbitrary arrests, detentions, judicial control measures, and convictions poses an existential threat to independent media, democratic discourse, and fundamental human rights in the country.  Turkey must ensure that its practices align with international standards for the protection of freedom of expression and press freedom, as well as with the protections enshrined in its…

France: EFJ calls for protection of journalist Philippe Miller’s sources

On 4 December, journalist Philippe Miller was arrested by a dozen police officers and placed in police custody for 48 hours for investigating a Parisian law firm. The search of his seized equipment has just been authorized by the liberty and detention judge during a hearing on the contestation of the searched seals. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its affiliates strongly condemn the judicial intimidation of journalists and reiterate the importance of upholding the fundamental right to the confidentiality of sources. On 18 October, Philippe Miller, who works for the online press site “Warning Trading”, which specialises in news about…

Serbia: Urgent need for a swift and thorough investigation into invasive surveillance of journalists and sources

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN), in expressing serious concern over the revelations in Amnesty International’s forensic analysis, exposing the invasive use of spyware and other digital tools by Serbian intelligence services and police to hack journalists’ phones as part of a covert surveillance campaign. These concerning revelations come amidst escalating threats against journalists in Serbia. In the report “A Digital Prison”: Surveillance and the Suppression of Civil Society in Serbia” published on 16 December 2024, Amnesty International revealed that mobile forensic products made by the Israeli…

Croatia: Brutal assault on Dario Topić must be punished, swift activation of police safety protocols a positive step forward

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN) in strongly condemning the brutal attack on Dario Topić, editor-in-chief of the local media portal Komarilos.com. The consortium calls for the perpetrator to be held accountable without delay, in line with the Croatian Penal Code which prescribes higher penalties for attacks on journalists.  On 4 December 2024, journalist Dario Topić was physically attacked in Osijek while investigating the City of Osijek’s refusal to renew Elektromodul’s parking concession license after 26 years. Invited by the co-owner and director of Elektromodul,  Damir Taslidžić,…

Georgia: EFJ calls on authorities to stop assault on journalists during demonstrations in Tbilisi

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned press freedom, freedom of expression and journalists organisations in strongly condemning what appears to be a targeted, deliberate attack on journalists by state security forces during pro-EU protests triggered by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement that Georgia would halt its EU membership negotiations until the end of 2028. Violence against journalists is unacceptable. Georgian authorities have an obligation to ensure a safe and enabling environment for members of the press. We call on Georgian authorities to immediately cease the ongoing assault on independent and critical media. We stand in full support…