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Impunity Day: MFRR renews urgent call for justice for…

Impunity Day: MFRR renews urgent call for justice for murdered journalists around Europe

To mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) honours the memory of those who have lost their lives in the pursuit of truth and demands justice for the crimes committed against them.

3 November 2025

The killing of a journalist is an attack on freedom of expression, an assault on the public’s right to know and a fundamental threat to democracy. Tragically, this past year alone has seen a disturbing pattern of violence and inaction, with four killings of journalists in Europe in October alone: three in Ukraine and one in Turkey.

 

The most recent murder occurred on October 23 in Ukraine, when Olena Hubanova and Yevhen Karmazin were killed in a Russian drone attack in Kramatorsk. Earlier that month, on 3 October, French photojournalist Antoni Lallican was killed in a targeted drone strike. Reporting confirmed that Lallican was killed with the use of an FPV (first-person view) drone, which allows operators to visualise their targets at the moment of the strike with the use of a camera. Lallican was visiting visible PRESS markings at the time of his death.  

 

The ongoing and apparently deliberate targeting by the Russian military of journalists in Ukraine, and the fact that Russia refuses to investigate or even limit strikes on media workers, are stark reminders of the dangers journalists working in conflict zones face and the urgent need for protection and accountability.

 

These risks are not only confined to war zones, as demonstrated by the death of Victoria Roshchyna, a Ukrainian journalist detained and held in custody for over a year at an undefined location by Russian authorities. Roshchyna, whose death was confirmed in October 2024, weighed only 30 kilograms at the time of her death. Her body showed signs of torture while in Russian captivity.

 

In Turkey, Hakan Tosun, a journalist and activist known for his reporting on ecological destruction and local corruption, was brutally beaten in Istanbul and died from his injuries on 13 October 2025. The Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is reportedly investigating the case. With two arrests made, authorities must now swiftly confirm whether his journalistic work was the motive behind the attack.

 

Impunity meanwhile continues for dozens more journalists killed in Europe in recent years. In total, 15 journalists were killed in relation to their activities since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. To date, no one has been held accountable for any of these killings.

 

Within the EU, seven years after the assassination of investigative reporter Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová in Slovakia, the alleged mastermind has been acquitted multiple times. In Malta, while two men were recently sentenced for their roles in the car bombing that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017, the alleged mastermind has yet to face justice, with a trial expected to start next year. In Greece, the murder of Giorgos Karaivaz in April 2021 remains unsolved, with two suspects acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

 

These tragedies are not isolated incidents but part of a global crisis of impunity for the killing of journalists, both in and outside of conflict zones. This lack of justice sends a chilling message that those who target journalists can do so without accountability and that violence is an acceptable means to silence the press. We call on governments to ensure thorough and independent investigations, to protect journalists at risk, and to support independent media in their vital work.

 

On this day, MFRR partners reaffirm our commitment to pushing for justice for journalists who have lost their lives. We will continue to monitor these cases, advocate for justice, and demand an end to the culture of impunity at the international level. Justice delayed is justice denied. The time to act is now.

Signed by:

  • ARTICLE 19 Europe
  • European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
  • European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
  • Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
  • International Press Institute (IPI)
  • Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)

This statement was coordinated by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

Allgemein

Report: Fragile media freedom progress in Bulgaria at risk…

Report: Fragile media freedom progress in Bulgaria at risk of backsliding without urgent reform

While Bulgaria has experienced modest progress on media freedom in the last four years, the situation remains undermined by persistent structural, legal and political challenges, with urgent action needed by government and public authorities to push forward both domestic and EU-mandated reforms.

29.10.2025

While Bulgaria has experienced modest progress on media freedom in the last four years, the situation remains undermined by persistent structural, legal and political challenges, with urgent action needed by government and public authorities to push forward both domestic and EU-mandated reforms.

 

These are the key findings of a media freedom report published today following a three-day joint fact-finding mission to the country between 24-26 September by the partner organisations of the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform and the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR).

 

The full report – Bulgaria: Fragile media freedom progress in Bulgaria at risk of backsliding without urgent reform – is available to download.

 

It provides an executive summary of the key challenges facing media freedom and pluralism in Bulgaria in 2025. Thematic sections explore the safety of journalists, the Council for Electronic Media and the public broadcaster Bulgarian National Television. Additional sections address legal threats, SLAPPs and defamation, media pluralism and independent journalism, and access to information, public trust in media and disinformation.

 

The report also provides detailed recommendations to national authorities and government on measures that can be taken to improve the climate for media freedom in Bulgaria, as well as general recommendation to the journalistic profession within the country.

 

The report was produced following the mission, which was joined by ARTICLE 19 Europe; Association of European Journalists (AEJ); European Broadcasting Union (EBU); European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF); European Federation of Journalists (EFJ); International Press Institute (IPI); Reporters Without Borders (RSF); Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) and Index on Censorship. The local partner was the Association of European Journalists Bulgaria.

 

During the visit to Sofia, the delegation met with a range of professional media stakeholders, including leading journalists and editors from print, online, broadcast and investigative media, as well as media associations and unions, media experts and civil society. Separate meetings were held with the Bulgarian National Radio and the Bulgarian National Television.

 

Meetings were also held with the President; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Interior; Council of Electronic Media (CEM); Office of General Prosecutor; Commission for Personal Data Protection; Central Election Commission and representatives of embassies.

Download the Mission Report

Click here for more information about the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform.

This mission was coordinated by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

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Meloni’s Italy puts media freedom under pressure, regardless of…

Meloni’s Italy puts media freedom under pressure, regardless of EU rules

This article is part of a series published by IPI and written by expert guest contributors from across Europe on different threats facing media freedom and independent journalism. The views of the author do not necessarily reflect those of IPI.

29.10.2025

Francesca De Benedetti

Whether it is for the unaccounted use of spyware or a bomb exploding in front of an investigative journalist’s house, pressure against media freedom in Italy is growing in a disturbing trajectory.

 

Although an acceleration is underway, this alarming atmosphere has not come out of the blue. Since Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party entered government, over the past three years the deterioration of media freedom has become more and more visible.

 

Journalists have experienced a range of verbal and legal attacks, while ongoing efforts to erode the independence of and capture of the public broadcaster RAI have raised alarm from several organisations monitoring media pluralism.

 

This trend is consistent with the one seen in countries such as Hungary and Slovakia: wherever an illiberal playbook has been deployed, the capture of public media is often the first move.

 

In Meloni’s Italy, an unprecedented shift has taken place in recent months, drawing increasing concern at the European Union and beyond.

 

Hostile environment

 

On 16 October, a car bomb exploded outside the home of one of Italy’s top investigative journalists, Sigfrido Ranucci, host of in-depth reporting tv programme Report. The bomb went off 20 minutes after Ranucci’s daughter parked the car. No one was injured, but after long-time receiving intimidations, “this was a qualitative leap”, as Ranucci himself put it.

 

Although the authorities are investigating the incident and the entire political community in Italy has expressed its solidarity, the explosive attack comes amid ongoing verbal and legal attacks against Report and Ranucci himself by the governing majority.

 

Rai journalist Vittorio Di Trapani, President of the Italian National Press Federation (FNSI), told IPI that Ignazio La Russa, the co-founder of Brothers of Italy serving as Italy’s President of the Senate, had referred to Report as “serial slanderer” and governing party, Fratelli d’Italia, had sued Ranucci along with his colleague Giorgio Mottola.

 

Di Trapani added that “the political solidarity that has been expressed towards Ranucci was hypocritical, given all the attacks that have been launched against Report’s investigative journalism.” He indeed: “Four out of 28 episodes of the program were even removed from this year’s TV schedule”.

 

In 2023, Ranucci had even been summoned by the Parliamentary Committee for the general direction and supervision of radio and TV broadcasting, a move that the partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) had condemned as “another intimidation practice targeting an independent investigative TV programme whose reporting has been critical of a number of members of the current government”.

 

In the following year, after Report’s investigation concerning Albania, both the Italian and Albanian Prime Ministers jointly attacked the public broadcaster’s journalists verbally. Meloni’s playbook of verbal attacks on independent media and attempts to delegitimize investigative journalism includes accusations of acting against the national interest or even serving specific political interests.

 

This increase in attacks is reflected in the 2025 Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM) report, published before the car bomb attacks, which stated that “there has been an increase in threats and intimidation against journalists, as well as several cases that reveal serious shortcomings in the protection of journalistic sources and of journalists themselves”.

 

Spyware attacks

 

In addition to physical attacks and continuous political pressure on RAI, Italy is also the EU member state which has seen the most recent cases of spyware attacks on journalists in the last year.

 

“Nine months have passed since Meta informed me that my mobile had been targeted with spyware made by Israel-based Paragon Solutions”, Francesco Cancellato, editor-in-chief of Fanpage, an Italian news outlet known for its investigative report The Meloni Youth, told IPI.

 

Over the past few months it has emerged that additional journalists, such as his colleague at Fanpage, Ciro Pellegrino, as well as stakeholders and representatives of civil society, have been spied on using surveillance tools.

 

Cancellato continued: “Paragon said that it can only provide answers if the Italian authorities ask it to do so. But Meloni’s government is burying its head in the sand. It has decided not to address any questions or concerns about what’s happened.

 

“Being asked about it in Parliament, the Prime Minister even dismissed the spyware affair as an unimportant, ‘election campaign issue’. I wasn’t even heard in an audition, neither at the Italian parliamentary committee on intelligence agencies nor at the LIBE Committee in the EU Parliament. My colleague Ciro wasn’t invited to speak either. Instead of being recognised by the institutions as journalists that are victims of spyware, we go through political isolation as if we were enemies”.

 

Until now, no one has been held accountable and the identity of those behind these illegal surveillance attacks remains unclear – mirroring a pattern of impunity for such spyware attacks elsewhere in Europe.

 

This case episode also evokes trends already seen elsewhere in Europe. In 2021, in Orbán’s Hungary, investigative journalists were on the list of those spied on with Pegasus; but the government dodged the issue without providing any accountability.

 

Illiberal trend vs EU law

 

In the face of growing threats against free and independent journalism across the bloc, the European Union has recently provided Europeans with new tools to protect media freedom.

 

The anti-SLAPP directive has been adopted and the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) has been in full force since 8 August. But Italy is moving in the opposite direction.

 

In 2024, after monitoring 41 countries, the Coalition against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) reported that Italy is the country it monitors with the highest number of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.

 

In recent years in Italy “we have witnessed an increasingly alarming resort to this form of legal harassment by high and very high-level public officials”, said Sielke Kelner, coordinator of CASE Italia and the advocacy officer at OBCT, adding it represented “a worrying sign of growing intolerance on the part of the ruling coalition towards any form of criticism.”

 

The Italian legislation still lacks a dedicated anti-SLAPP framework. A few weeks ago, the European delegation law 2025 – which allows transposition of EU directives into domestic law –  was presented in the Italian Parliament. However, the EU Directive 1069/2024, also known as “Daphne’s law”, was not included.

 

Meanwhile, EMFA is now in force and member states should act. In May 2024 the MFRR  organised an urgent mission to Italy. The subsequent report, Silencing the Fourth Estate: Italy’s Democratic Drift, confirmed that “since Giorgia Meloni took office as Prime Minister of Italy, the country’s public service broadcaster Rai has been facing an unprecedented level of political interference”.

 

According to Article 5 of EMFA, Italy must ensure that public service media providers are editorially and functionally independent and provide in an impartial manner a plurality of information and opinions to their audiences.

 

Despite these obligations, “the Italian authorities have done nothing” to implement the new EU obligations, said Di Trapani of FNSI. Instead, the government’s takeover of the public broadcaster keeps worsening, he added: “RAI has been without a president elected in accordance with the law for over a year now, and the term of office lasts three years.

 

“This is because the majority and the government want to impose a name but do not have enough votes to do so, and are therefore also blocking the work of the parliamentary committee that oversees RAI. So, essentially, the government is blocking parliament until it gets what it wants, and the Parliament cannot oversee RAI”.

 

Just when the European Union is becoming mature enough to recognise attacks on media freedom, there is a government in Rome that prefers to turn a blind eye.

Francesca De Benedetti is Senior Editor at the Italian daily Domani, where she covers European politics, as well as a fellow at IWM. De Benedetti writes columns for Vanity Fair and Jacobin (USA); her writing on Italian politics has been published by The Independent, Balkan Insight, Die Presse and other international outlets. De Benedetti previously worked as a reporter at la Repubblica and La7tv.

This guest article by IPI was commissioned part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

Allgemein

One year on: Media freedom and journalist safety in…

One year on: Media freedom and journalist safety in Serbia

Tuesday, 4 November 2025 at 14:00 CET.

One year on from the Novi Sad train canopy collapse tragedy on 1 November 2024 and the start of nationwide anti-government protests, this webinar takes stock of the dramatic decline in media freedom and the safety of journalists in Serbia that has resulted from the government’s heavy handed response to the crisis.

 

To mark the anniversary, journalists and media experts will take stock of how the government’s efforts to stifle protests and control information have led to serious political pressure on the media, and a significant rise in attacks on reporters covering demonstrations on the streets.

 

To mark the UN’s International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on November 2, the webinar will put a particular spotlight on the rampant impunity for attacks on journalists by protesters and police alike during the last year, examining how this has contributed to a generational low for media freedom.

Register here

Speakers

Natasa Kovačev

Freelance Journalist

Verica Marinčić

Journalist at IN Medija

Dušan Mladenović

Journalist at N1

Moderator

Jasmijn de Zeeuw

Legal Advisor and Researcher, Free Press Unlimited

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Media freedom, a prerequisite for EU enlargement

Media freedom, a prerequisite for EU enlargement

To advance in their European integration path, Western Balkan candidate countries must ensure media freedom and pluralism. For Montenegro and North Macedonia, this means moving beyond formal commitments and proving through concrete actions that democratic reforms are more than words on paper

28.10.2025 – Serena Epis

A couple of weeks ago, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Western Balkan candidate countries ahead of the publication of the 2025 Enlargement Package and country reports, in which the Commission evaluates each state’s progress in aligning with EU norms and standards.

 

Among the different topics covered during her visit, von der Leyen emphasized that media freedom and pluralism  are key prerequisites for moving forward in the EU integration process.

 

On 20 October, partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the Transnational Advocacy for Freedom of Information in the Balkans (ATLIB) project hosted a webinar to discuss recent developments in the region’s media sector, focusing on Montenegro and North Macedonia. Opening the event, Embassy Counselor Thomas Botzios from the Adriatic and Balkans Unit of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation underlined the importance of building transnational ties with Balkan partners to promote free and independent media and ensure that democratic standards are upheld by all candidate countries.

 

The situation of media freedom in the region remains complex and contradictory, noted Maja Sever, President of the European Federation of Journalists. While progress has been made — such as Montenegro’s new protocol to enhance journalist safety — serious concerns persist. Disinformation, foreign information manipulation, political pressure, economic fragility, the weakness of local media markets, and the under-regulation of online media all continue to pose major challenges.

 

Although these problems are common across the region, each country faces specific issues that require tailored responses adapted to local political contexts.

 

In Montenegro, structural weaknesses continue to undermine the independence and freedom of many media outlets, especially at the local level. Poor socio-economic conditions make journalism a fragile profession, increasingly exposed to smear campaigns — often online — and to abusive lawsuits designed to silence critical voices. This phenomenon, known as SLAPPs, is finally beginning to receive more attention in Montenegro’s media landscape.

 

Another pressing concern is the lack of independence of the public broadcaster, which remains entangled in clientelist relationships that severely limit its capacity to operate in the public interest, as highlighted by Olivera Nikolic from the Montenegro Media Institute.

 

In North Macedonia, the pace of reform remains slow. “We have made some progress, but the ultimate goals are still distant,” said Zoran Richliev from the Metamorphosis Foundation. The country’s media market is small and highly fragmented, making media outlets susceptible to external political and economic pressures. State financing and advertising continue to reflect strong political control over the media, fostering clientelism and corruption.

 

While there have been some positive steps — such as improving journalist safety and amending the criminal code to recognize attacks on journalists as attacks on public officials — alignment with European standards remains incomplete. One of the most troubling practices is state budget-paid political advertising during election campaigns, which distorts the media market and undermines editorial independence.

 

From a broader regional perspective, and in light of the EU accession process, there is still significant room for improvement. While candidate countries can look to EU member states for guidance in implementing European norms, the exchange should not be one-way. Member states, too, face threats to media freedom and challenges in applying newly adopted regulations. In this context, transnational advocacy represents a valuable tool.

 

Referring to the implementation of the European Media Freedom Act in Croatia, Maja Sever stressed the importance of joint efforts — sharing knowledge, strategies, and actions — to ensure proper enforcement of standards and full accountability from decision-makers.

 

Ultimately, as OBCT collaborator Massimo Moratti reminded participants, media freedom can only be guaranteed when the broader rule of law functions effectively, e.g. when an independent judiciary is able to enforce the law and hold political power accountable. Adopting new laws is not per se sufficient to enhance media freedom. Those laws need to be implemented as well.

 

Building transnational partnerships between the EU and the Western Balkans is essential to keep attention focused on media freedom at a time when democracy across Europe faces mounting threats and backsliding. While legislative progress should be welcomed, it is time for change to become visible on the ground. Achieving this will require a coordinated, multi-level effort involving all relevant stakeholders, both in candidate countries and within the EU itself.

This publication is the result of activities carried out within the Media Freedom Rapid Response co-funded by the EU and within ATLIB – Transnational Advocacy for Freedom of Information in the Western Balkans, a project co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. All opinions expressed represent the views of their author and not those of the co-funding institutions.

Allgemein

Turkey: Journalists reporting LGBTQ+ issues risk criminalisation: Withdraw the…

Turkey: Journalists reporting LGBTQ+ issues risk criminalisation: Withdraw the proposed law!

As press and freedom of expression organisations undersigned below, we call for the removal of the reported anti-LGBTQ+ provision from the 11th Judicial Package which would restrict and possibly criminalise media reporting on the community.

22.10.2025

Türkçe açıklama aşağıdadır…

The draft of the 11th Judicial Package was shared with the members of the press last week and is expected to be submitted to Parliament in the coming days. Under the heading “Obscene acts,” the draft introduces a so-called “Turkish-style ban on homosexual propaganda.” It stipulates prison sentences of up to three years for any behaviour or attitude that is “contrary to one’s biological sex and public morality,” as well as for praising, promoting, or encouraging such behaviour. In its current form, the proposal is even broader and more vague than Russia’s 2013 “gay propaganda ban,” posing a grave threat to freedom of expression and press freedom in Turkey.

 

If enacted, this regulation would restrict LGBTQ+ people of their right to access and share information central to their lives.. Journalists reporting on  LGBTQ+ issues such as human rights violations, sexual health, Pride marches etc. risk criminal prosecution on the grounds of “promotion.”

 

Since 2025 was declared the “Year of the Family,” numerous violations have occurred targeting LGBTQ+ journalism in Turkey. In February, Yıldız Tar — Editor-in-Chief of KAOS GL, the country’s largest and oldest LGBTQ+ news platform, and a prominent LGBTQ+ rights advocate — was arrested.

 

In June, the KAOS GL news website and its social media accounts were blocked for allegedly “publicly inciting to commit crimes.” That same month, journalists covering the LGBTQ+ Pride March in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district were detained and later prosecuted.

 

T24 correspondent Can Öztürk was questioned by prosecutors after publishing a story about sexual harassment allegations against an academic who claimed to offer “conversion therapy” to LGBTQ+ children. The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) also fined streaming platforms such as Netflix for hosting LGBTQ+ content.

 

Following all these violations, the inclusion of the proposed provision in the 11th Judicial Package would escalate rights violations even further and criminalize the already difficult task of reporting on LGBTQ+ issues. Moreover, vague terms such as “contrary to one’s biological sex” or “contrary to public morality” would allow arbitrary interference with the press and civil society.

 

This proposal would not only target LGBTQ+ individuals but also place journalists reporting on LGBTQ+ issues and related rights violations under threat of criminal punishment.

 

For all these reasons, as the undersigned press and freedom of expression organizations, we urgently call for the immediate removal of this provision from the 11th Judicial Package.

Signed by:

  • Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA)
  • Dicle Fırat Journalism Association
  • European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
  • DİSK Basın-İş
  • P24 Platform for Independent Journalism
  • International Press Institute (IPI)
  • Progressive Journalists Association (ÇGD)
  • Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS)
  • European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
  • Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
  • International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
  • Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
  • PEN International 
  • Foreign Media Association Turkey
  • PEN Norway
  • Media and Migration Association (MMA)
  • Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN)
  • Norwegian Helsinki Committee

LGBTİ+ haberciliği suç değildir, gazetecilik suç değildir: Tasarıyı geri çekin!

 

Aşağıda imzaları bulunan basın ve ifade özgürlüğü kuruluşları olarak, 11.Yargı Paketi’nde yer aldığı iddia edilen LGBTİ+ karşıtı düzenlemenin paketten çıkartılmasını talep ediyoruz. Türkiye’de özellikle LGBTİ+’ların ifade ve basın özgürlüklerini ortadan kaldıracak olan bu düzenleme, ifade ve basın özgürlüklerinin özünü ortadan kaldıracak, LGBTİ+’lar hakkında haber yapmayı suç haline getirecektir.

 

11. Yargı Paketi taslağı, geçtiğimiz hafta basınla paylaşıldı ve önümüzdeki günlerde Meclis’e sunulması bekleniyor. Düzenlemede ‘Hayasızca hareketler’ başlığı altında, Türk tipi bir eşcinsel propaganda yasağı düzenlemesi öngörülüyor. Düzenleme, doğuştan gelen cinsiyete ve genel ahlaka aykırı her türlü davranış ve tutumun yanı sıra bunları övmeyi, özendirmeyi ve teşvik etmeyi de üç yıla kadar hapis cezasıyla cezalandırıyor. Bu düzenleme, taslakta yer alan haliyle, Rusya’da 2013 yılında kabul edilen ‘Eşcinsel propaganda yasağı’ yasasından çok daha ağır ve muğlak ifadeler içererek, Türkiye’de basın ve ifade özgürlüğüne yönelik ciddi bir tehdit oluşturuyor. 

 

Yasalaşması halinde, LGBTİ+’ların haber alma ve haber verme haklarını ortadan kaldıracak olan bu düzenleme, LGBTİ+’lara yönelik hak ihlallerini, trans cinayetlerini, cinsel sağlıkla ilgili yayınları, Onur Yürüyüşlerini ve daha birçok LGBTİ+’ları ilgilendiren haber yapmayı ‘teşvik etmek’ gerekçesiyle suç unsuru haline getirecek.

 

2025 yılının Aile Yılı ilan edilmesiyle, Türkiye’de LGBTİ+ haberciliğine yönelik birçok hak ihlali meydana geldi. Şubat ayında, Türkiye’nin en büyük ve en eski LGBTİ+ haber platformu KAOS GL’nin Genel Yayın Yönetmeni ve LGBTİ+ hakları savunucusu Yıldız Tar tutuklandı. 

 

Haziran ayında, Kaos GL’nin internet haber sitesi ve sosyal medya hesapları ise ‘suç işlemeye alenen teşvik’ iddiasıyla erişime engellendi. Yine Haziran ayında, İstanbul Beşiktaş’ta LGBTİ+ Onur Yürüyüşü’nü takip eden basın mensupları gözaltına alındı, haklarında dava açıldı. 

 

T24 muhabiri Can Öztürk, LGBTİ+ çocuklara ‘dönüşüm terapisi’ adı altında terapi yaptığını iddia eden bir akademisyen hakkındaki cinsel taciz iddialarını haber yaptığı için şikayet üzerine soruşturmaya uğradı, ifade verdi. Radyo ve Televizyon Üst Kurulu (RTÜK) ise Netflix gibi platformlarda yayınlanan LGBTİ+ içerikler hakkında platformlara ceza verdi.

 

Bütün bu hak ihlallerinin ardından 11. Yargı Paketi’nde yer alacağı iddia edilen düzenleme, hak ihlallerini farklı bir boyuta taşıyacak, zaten zor olan LGBTİ+’lar hakkında haber yapmayı suç haline getirecektir. Öte yandan ‘doğuştan gelen biyolojik cinsiyete aykırı’ veya ‘genel ahlaka aykırı’ gibi muğlak ifadeler, basına ve sivil topluma yönelik keyfi müdahaleleri arttıracaktır.

 

Teklif yalnızca LGBTİ+’ları değil, onları ilgilendiren konuları, onlara yönelik hak ihlallerini haber yapan basın mensuplarını da ceza tehdidi altına sokacak, haber yapılmasını kriminalize edecektir.

 

Bu gerekçelerle, biz aşağıda imzaları bulunan basın ve ifade özgürlüğü kurumları olarak, 11. Yargı Paketi’nde yer alacağı iddia edilen bu düzenlemenin derhal tekliften çıkartılmasını talep ediyoruz. 

İmzalayanlar:

  • Medya ve Hukuk Çalışmaları Derneği (MLSA)
  • Dicle Fırat Gazeteciler Derneği  (DFG)
  • Avrupa Basın ve Medya Özgürlüğü Merkezi (ECPMF)
  • Punto24 Bağımsız Gazetecilik Derneği (P24)
  • Çağdaş Gazeteciler Derneği (ÇGD)
  • Uluslararası Basın Enstitüsü (IPI)
  • Avrupa Gazeteciler Federasyonu (EFJ)
  • Uluslararası Gazeteciler Federasyonu (IFJ)
  • Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikası (TGS)
  • Balkanlar, Kafkasya ve Transavrupa Gözlemevi (OBCT)
  • Gazetecileri Koruma Komitesi (CPJ)
  • Yabancı Medya Derneği
  • Uluslararası PEN
  • PEN Norveç
  • Medya ve Göç Derneği (MGD) 
  • Balkan Araştırmacı Gazetecilik Ağı (BIRN)
  • DİSK Basın-İş
  • Norveç Helsinki Komitesi

This statement was coordinated by Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) and signed by members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

Allgemein

Italy: Car bomb attack on investigative journalist Sigfrido Ranucci…

Car bomb attack on investigative journalist Sigfrido Ranucci rings alarm for media freedom in Italy

The undersigned journalists and media freedom organisations strongly condemn the car bomb attack on one of Italy’s leading investigative journalist Sigfrido Ranucci and his family. We welcome the opening of an investigation by the Anti-Mafia Investigation Division and call for an urgent assessment of the effectiveness of the protective measures applied to the journalist.

17 October 2025

On 16 October 2025, at around 10 p.m. a bomb consisting of 1kg explosive detonated near the car of Rai journalist Sigfrido Ranucci in Pomezia, near Rome. The bomb went off 20 minutes after Ranucci’s daughter parked the car. No one was injured in the attack, which damaged the two vehicles and a nearby home.

 

Ranucci is a longtime host of Report, the investigative programme broadcast on Rai 3, known for its in-depth reporting on corruption and organised crime. In recent years, he has been the target of numerous threats and intimidation. He was granted police protection in 2010, which was enhanced in 2021, following threats from mafia-style organisation N’drangheta. 

“Last summer, a year ago, we found two P38 bullets outside our house. Since then, a series of unusual situations have occurred in recent months, starting with the attempt to discredit me,” he told Il Fatto Quotidiano. Earlier this year, Ranucci appeared before the European Parliament, where he denounced that he had been under surveillance by the Italian secret services.

 

Following the attack, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said that he has given instructions to strengthen the journalist’s protection “to the maximum”. The journalist was provided with an armoured car and armed escort, as he himself announced when leaving offices of the Carabinieri, where he had filed a complaint. Opposition parties have urged the Anti-Mafia Committee in the parliament to grant an urgent hearing to Ranucci, in order to acquire his position on the case.

 

Ranucci joined the public broadcaster Rai in 1991 and devoted most of his career to investigative journalism. Recently, he has been vocal on the growing difficulties in carrying out investigative journalism in Italy, especially at Rai. He often highlighted the tensions with the management of the public broadcaster and the government, which ultimately culminated in a number of vexatious lawsuits and disciplinary measures against him. He also denounced that four episodes of his investigative programme Report had been cut following an unprecedented decision by the Rai management in the programme’s 30-year history. 

 

Alessandra Costante, the General Secretary of the Italian journalists’ trade union, the Federazione Nazionale Stampa Italiana (FNSI), said the attack on Sigfrido Ranucci was “setting democracy in Italy back by several decades”: “It is an attack not only on our colleague at Report, but on freedom of information, on Article 21 of the Constitution, on the basic principles of civil coexistence and democracy. The FNSI demands that clarity be provided quickly on what happened. The attack on Ranucci shows an escalation in actions against journalism,” she added. 

 

The editorial committee of Rai Approfondimento has called a meeting of editors in the Rai headquarters today at 12 p.m. This will be followed at 4 p.m. by a sit-in organised by FNSI, Usigrai and Stampa Romana together with colleagues from other editorial offices.

 

We stand alongside our Italian partners in expressing solidarity with Sigfrido Ranucci and the wider journalistic community in Italy. This attack is particularly troubling as it coincides with the anniversary of the death of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who lost her life to a car bomb on 16 October 2017. 

 

The undersigned organisations strongly condemn the attempted murder of a journalist, which constitutes a direct assault on media freedom, and urgently call for a thorough investigation to ensure that the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice. 

Signed by:

  • European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
  • Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) 
  • International Press Institute (IPI) 
  • European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
  • International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
  • ARTICLE 19 Europe
  • Free Press Unlimited (FPU)

This statement was coordinated by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

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Webinar: Freedom of Information (FOI) in Europe

Freedom of Information (FOI) in Europe:

What is the state of Freedom of Information (FOI) in Europe, and what challenges do journalists encounter when seeking access to government data?

Wednesday, 22 October 2025 at 15:00 am CEST.

This webinar will explore the importance of Freedom of Information/Access to Information (FOI/ATI) for journalists in Europe. In theory, most European countries have laws in place that ensure journalists and citizens can access government information. However, in practice, journalists frequently see their requests for information ignored, delayed, or rejected. Participants will get an overview of the critical role that FOI plays for journalism. Media freedom experts from three select European countries – Hungary, Ukraine, and Malta – will offer additional insights into national experiences and challenges journalists face when using FOI for their reporting.

Register here

Speakers

Tamás Bodoky

Átlátszó, Director and Co-founder

Galyna Petrnko

Detector Media, Director and Editor-in-Chief

Michaela Pia Camilleri

Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Researcher and Advocacy Officer

Moderator

Cara Räker

Monitoring Officer, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom

Flowers and light candles are put in memory of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia at a makeshift memorial outside the law courts in Valletta, Malta on November 25, 2019. (Photo by Emmanuele Contini/NurPhoto) Allgemein

In Memory of Daphne: Media reform public consultations must…

In Memory of Daphne: Media reform public consultations must lead to National Action Plan

On the eve of the anniversary of the murder of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, press freedom and journalists’ groups are calling on the national authorities to set up a National Action Plan on Media Freedom and Journalist Safety.

15.10.2025

Our groups reiterate our calls for all perpetrators of the murder to be brought to justice and we continue to monitor the progress of ongoing legal proceedings.

 

  1. Overview:

 

Press freedom and journalist organizations welcome the call by the Maltese authorities for public consultations on media freedom and are, in this paper, submitting a set of recommendations for consideration.

 

The implementation of such recommendations would be an appropriate and meaningful way to continue to mark the life and legacy of Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed in a car bomb attack on 16 October 2017.

 

The move to open up public consultations follows an ongoing exchange on institutional and rule of law reforms in Malta, whose record has been the subject of international scrutiny since the journalist’s murder eight years ago.

 

Such reforms present a historic opportunity for press freedom in both Malta and Europe. Press freedom and journalists’ groups call for draft legislation related to reforms to be considered for consultation, including by national and international civil society, journalists’ organizations, media freedom experts, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), prior to being enacted by parliament or published by legal notice.

 

Our organizations are tracking the reform proposal put forward by the Maltese authorities in

response to the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). Some recommendations below identify areas of concern that continue to require a more effective state response than outlined in the August 2025 legal notice.

 

This statement seeks to provide an overview of key international standards or texts that would provide a basis for shaping the planning and implementation of future legislative and non-legislative measures to protect journalists. It also provides a list of recommendations, in consideration of Malta’s press freedom context.

 

Such reforms should be brought together in a National Action Plan on Media Freedom and Journalist Safety. Such an initiative should seek to concretely address the complex set of challenges facing all Maltese journalists, and guarantee an ambitious vision for Malta’s compliance with its European Union, Council of Europe and OSCE obligations.

 

 

  1. Relevant international standards and expert sources:

 

The following international standards and texts provide guidance on the questions raised in the consultation, including safeguarding an enabling environment for journalists to operate, preserving full and independent access to information, and aligning all measures with international standards on the protection of the reputation or rights of others.

 

United Nations

 

– Civil and Political Rights, including the Question of Freedom of Expression, the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Report of the Special Rapporteur, Ambeyi Ligabo, 30 December 2005 (E/CN.4/2006/55)

 

– General Comment No. 34, Article 19: Freedoms of opinion and expression, United Nations, Human Rights Committee, 11-29 July 2011 (CCPR/C/GC/34)

 

– General Assembly, Resolution 68/163, The Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, 18 December 2013 (A/RES/68/163)

 

– General Assembly, Resolution 39/6, The Safety of Journalists, Human Rights Council

27 September 2018 (39th Session) (A/HRC/RES/39/6)

 

UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation

 

– UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity (2012)

 

Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly

 

– Parliamentary Assembly, Recommendation 1506 (2001), Freedom of expression and information in the media in Europe, Council of Europe, 24 April 2001

 

– Parliamentary Assembly, Recommendation 1589 (2003), Freedom of expression in the

media in Europe, Council of Europe, 28 January 2003

 

– Parliamentary Assembly, Resolution 1535 (2007), Threats to the lives and freedom of expression of journalists, 25 January 2007

 

– Parliamentary Assembly, Resolution 2035 (2015), Protection of the safety of journalists and of media freedom in Europe, 29 January 2015

 

– Parliamentary Assembly, Recommendation 2062 (2015), Protection of the safety of journalists and of media freedom in Europe, Council of Europe, 29 January 2015

 

– Parliamentary Assembly, Resolution 2317 (2020), Threats to media freedom and journalists’ security in Europe, Council of Europe, 28 January 2020

 

Council of Europe, Committee of Ministers

 

– CM/Rec(2024)2 – Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on countering the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 5 April 2024

 

– CM/Rec(2022)16 – Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on combating hate speech, adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 20 May 2022

 

– CM/Rec(2016)4 – Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and other media actors, adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 13 April 2016

 

European Court of Human Rights case-law on state interference or restriction on freedom of expression:

 

Stoll v. Switzerland, App No 69698/01, (ECtHR [GC] 10 December 2007)

Morice v. France, App. No. 29369/10, (ECtHR [GC] 23 April 2015)

Pentikäinen v. Finland, App No 11882/10, (ECtHR [GC] 20 October 2015)

Khadja Ismayilova v. Azerbaijan, App Nos 65286/13 and 57270/14, (ECtHR 10 January 2019)

Yılmaz and Kılıç v. Turkey, App No 68514/01, (ECtHR 17 July 2008)

Bahçeci and Turan v. Turkey, App. No. 33340/03, (ECtHR 16 June 2009) para 26.

 

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE

 

Legal analysis on the draft law of Malta to implement various measures for the protection of the media and of journalists, October 2021

 

Legal analysis on the draft law of Malta to implement various measures for the protection of the media and of journalists, February 2022

 

 

European Commission

 

Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/1534 of 16 September 2021 on ensuring the protection, safety and empowerment of journalists and other media professionals in the European Union

 

Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/758 of 27 April 2022 on protecting journalists and human rights defenders who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings (“Strategic lawsuits against public participation”)

 

Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/1634 of 16 September 2022 on internal safeguards for editorial independence and ownership transparency in the media sector

 

 

  • Recommendations

 

  1. Establish a National Action Plan

– In line with the Council of Europe’s “Journalists Matter” campaign, develop and adopt a National Action Plan on Media Freedom and Journalist Safety to provide a strategic framework to coordinate action across all state institutions. Such an action plan should integrate the recommendations listed below (to the fullest extent possible), and should follow further broad, public and transparent consultations, timeframes, clear and measurable benchmarks for progress, and effective and independent evaluation processes. It would have full political backing; would be led by a person or persons with experience and knowledge of the media (and the threats to the media); and would have the full trust of the journalist community and their representative organizations.

 

  1. Set up an institutional response structure

– Establish an interministerial, cross-institutional structure for the protection of journalists and journalism, with a view to implementing the National Action Plan, setting up rapid response protocols and early warning mechanisms, regular communication and dialogue on press freedom concerns affecting Malta’s journalists, and building state accountability for protecting journalists. Such a structure should ensure effective engagement with civil society and media organizations, and have, as its purpose, the full implementation of the 2016 Committee of Ministers Recommendation on journalism safety and the European Commission’s 2021 Journalist Safety Recommendation. This requires that the current mechanism be transformed to meet international standards including by taking into consideration the OSCE legal analysis of the draft law setting up this mechanism.

 

  1. Undertake Constitutional reform

– Undertake Constitutional reform to enshrine journalism as one of the pillars of a democratic society, with an explicit requirement of the State to guarantee it and protect it.

– Recognize the right to access information held by the State and public administration and the obligation of public authorities to provide such information.

– Provide all relevant state officials with training and support to promote and protect the spirit of such constitutional reforms.

 

  1. Foster an enabling environment for journalists

– High level officials should regularly communicate publicly, with a view to reaching a wide audience, that verbal attacks, threats, and hostility against the press should never in any way be tolerated; underscore the important role that journalists play in society and call for their full protection. Such statements could coincide with the celebration of international days, including World Press Freedom Day, as well as parliamentary debates, or public and official events.

– State officials and public figures should refrain from undermining or attacking the integrity of journalists and other media actors, or coercing or pressuring journalists.

– Provide journalists and other media actors who are victims of crime with quick access to preventive measures of protection, including court-issued protection orders and other personal protection measures taken by the police.

– Provide training for judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and police officers on relevant Council of Europe (and other relevant international) standards on freedom of expression and media freedom.

 

  1. Support female journalists

– Monitor and prioritize measures to protect female journalists against all forms of psychological pressure, intimidation, harassment, or physical threats, including as a result of online harassment, in line with the European Commission’s 2021 Journalist Safety Recommendation and the OSCE’s 2023 Guidelines for monitoring online violence against female journalists.

 

  1. End vexatious lawsuits, including SLAPPs

– Undertake further legislative reforms to address SLAPPs, in addition to the government’s recent transposition of the EU anti-SLAPP Directive, to extend judicial protection to domestic SLAPPs cases.

– Implement in full the European Commission’s Recommendation on SLAPPs as well as the Committee of Ministers Recommendation on SLAPPs; and, in doing so, extend Malta’s actions to both judicial reform and nonjudicial measures, such as victim support, judicial training, and public awareness.

– Reform the Media and Defamation Act to bring it in line with the recommendations included in the Legal Analysis of the OSCE Office of the Representative on Freedom of the Media of November 2017.

 

  1. Strengthen access to information

– Take immediate steps to improve the swift delivery of information held by public authorities, and grant greater transparency with regards to the publication of official information in the public interest. Such improvements should be user friendly, efficient and embedded in a culture of accountability and openness.

– Disclose, in full, the legal advice received by the Government on the Freedom of Information Act, and undertake a full, transparent, and effective consultation for its reform.

 

  1. Build accountability by implementing the public inquiry recommendations

Ensure the full implementation of all the recommendations from the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry, including those recommendations that relate to economic wrongdoing and financial crime, in their intersection of addressing the work of Maltese investigative journalists regarding state accountability, including:

  1. Amendments to criminal laws;
  2. Administrative practices which regulate relationships between public administration and business people;
  3. The fight against financial crime;
  4. Public officials who interfere with or attempt to interfere with the police;
  5. The introduction in the Criminal Code of the new criminal offence of “abuse of office” committed by a public official;
  6. The introduction into the Criminal Code of the criminal offence of obstruction of justice;
  7. The introduction of legal provisions in the Code of Ethics to counter inappropriate behavior by public officials.

 

  1. Ensure self-regulation contributes to safeguarding international standards

– Ensure that any changes to the regulatory ecosystem for media in Malta do not risk being misused for increased state interference. Self-regulation should be promoted and enabled by the authorities and all relevant stakeholders. Effective and independent systems of self-regulation must have the trust and confidence of the Maltese journalist community, and to the fullest extent possible, apply the European standards defined by the European Press Councils as part of the research and best practice developed by the European Union’s PressCouncils.eu project.

 

  1. Safeguard source confidentiality

– Develop protocols for law enforcement to embed the legal protection of legitimate and journalistic sources, including as part of investigations or operations. Such protocols should ensure that if investigative or intelligence collecting work by the Malta Security Service and or the police involves or touches upon the relationship of journalists and sources or whistleblowers, that the identity of that source or whistleblower will not be disclosed.

– The Protection of the Whistleblower Act must be reformed to provide whistleblowers with avenues for safe reporting, independent from government.

 

  1. Guarantee independent public service media

– In line with Article 5 of the EMFA, undertake reform of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) to develop stronger institutional safeguards which protect it from all forms of political pressure and influence and increase its editorial independence, thus building public trust.

– Include transparent and democratic procedures for the election of all management staff and members to its oversight boards, to reduce potential political interference. Heads of public service media should in particular be required to adhere to transparent and impartial criteria in their appointment procedures, with a view to preventing undue political influence.

– Provide adequate, predictable and sustainable funding to the public broadcaster in order to create additional institutional barriers to prevent pressure from the government. Multiyear budgeting should be adopted to facilitate long-term strategic planning and enhance predictability.

 

  1. Ensure full transparency over the allocation of state advertising to media and establish an independent body to oversee this system

– In line with Article 25 of the EMFA, establish a registry for oversight of state advertising, which must be transparent, functional, and provide up-to-date and easily accessible data for journalists and citizens.

– Ensure this body is independent and issues annual reports on the distribution of funds, identifying any instances of preferential treatment or political influence.

– Award state advertising in accordance with transparent, objective, proportionate, and nondiscriminatory criteria. This should apply to allocation of advertising via public tenders, directly or indirectly, and via advertising agencies.

– Government agencies and state-run or -controlled companies should provide full transparency on advertising expenditure, while all media should disclose the total amount they receive from public funds.

 

  1. Increase transparency over media ownership

– In line with Article 6 of the EMFA, establish a national media ownership database which is public, transparent, up-to-date and easily accessible online. This centralized online registry should require data regarding the ownership structure, including both direct and nondirect ownership, as well as the identity of any beneficial owners.

– Document swiftly all acquisitions and mergers of media in the database. Noncompliance with requests for information on all aspects of ownership should be addressed through administrative measures or penalties.

 

  1. Prevent a high degree of concentration of ownership in the media sector

– In line with Article 22 of the EMFA, establish a coordinated system for the assessment of all new market developments that could lead to concentrations and have a significant impact on media pluralism and editorial independence.

– Adopt procedural rules to assess the impact of new acquisitions or mergers on media pluralism, as the Maltese media legislation does not contain specific thresholds or other limitations in order to prevent a high degree of horizontal and cross-media concentration of ownership in the media sector.

– Introduce measures that guarantee transparency and provide clear thresholds to prevent market concentration, including in the online environment.

– Designate an appropriate authority to monitor and measure media pluralism and to advise the competition authority in order to stop ownership changes that damage media pluralism and threaten editorial independence.

– Provide proper statistics on market shares and media revenues.

– Codify protections to journalists from political interference. Cooperate with the Institute of Maltese Journalists and other stakeholders to make sure protections are adequate.

Signed by:

  • Association of European Journalists (AEJ)
  • Civil Liberties Union for Europe
  • Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
  • European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
  • European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
  • Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
  • Global Forum for Media Development
  • IFEX
  • Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS)
  • International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
  • International Press Institute (IPI)
  • Media Diversity Institute
  • Ossigeno per l’Informazione
  • PEN International
  • Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
  • Society of Journalists (Warsaw)
  • South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
  • Spanish Federation of Journalists (FAPE)

This statement was coordinated by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

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IPI denounces fatal attack on journalist Hakan Tosun, urges…

IPI denounces fatal attack on journalist Hakan Tosun, urges swift and transparent investigation

The International Press Institute (IPI) strongly condemns the fatal attack on journalist and environmental activist Hakan Tosun and calls on authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation to bring all perpetrators to justice.

14.10.2025

Hakan Tosun, an independent journalist and environmental activist known for his reporting on ecological destruction, was attacked on October 10 while returning home in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district. When his family and colleagues could not reach him for an extended period, they reported Tosun missing.

 

It was later revealed that he had been found severely injured and taken to Çam Sakura State Hospital as an unidentified patient. His family and loved ones learned about his hospitalization eight hours after the incident.

 

According to recently released security camera footage, two individuals on a motorcycle were seen approaching Hakan Tosun and attacking him. Footages show that the assailants struck him repeatedly on the head and neck. Tosun remained in intensive care with life-threatening injuries and later died on October 13.

 

According to Tosun’s lawyers, authorities notified them on October 12 that two suspects connected to the assault had been arrested. The exact details of their alleged roles remain unclear, and no public disclosure has yet been made regarding Tosun’s murder.

 

IPI is deeply concerned that the attack may be linked to Tosun’s journalism, particularly his reporting on environmental issues and local corruption. We urge authorities to thoroughly investigate all possible motives, including his journalistic work.

 

Attacks on journalists are attacks on the public’s right to know. The killing of Hakan Tosun is a grave reminder of the dangers faced by reporters and activists in Turkey, and of the urgent need to ensure their safety and protect press freedom.

 

IPI stands in solidarity with the family, colleagues, and community of Hakan Tosun, and with all journalists in Turkey who continue to pursue truth and accountability in the face of increasing hostility.

This statement was coordinated by IPI as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.