Event

Rule of Law in decline: Media freedom in Hungary…

Rule of Law in decline:

Media freedom in Hungary and Poland

19 July, 14:00 CEST.

Following the publication of the European Commission’s annual Rule of Law Report, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) will host a webinar with policy makers and experts for a closer look at this year’s findings. The event will focus in particular on Hungary and Poland. Panellists will consider the problem as well as the way(s) forward for improving media freedom and the rule of law at the domestic and regional levels.

Moderator

Scott Griffen

Deputy Director at International Press Institute

twitter: @scott_f_griffen

Speakers

Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield

Greens/EFA Member of the European Parliament & European Parliament Rapporteur for the Rule of Law situation in Hungary

twitter: @GDelbosCorfield

Dr. Polyák Gábor

Associate professor, head of the Media and Communication Department at Eötvös Loránd University Budapest

twitter: @polyak_gabor

Piotr Stasiński

Special Media Advisor,Gazeta Wyborcza Foundation, Former Gazeta Wyborcza Deputy Editor-In-Chief

Agnes Urban

Head of Mertek Media Monitor

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Chance for Czech Presidency of EU to champion media…

Chance for Czech Presidency of EU to champion media freedom

Seventeen media freedom and freedom of expression organisations from across Europe wrote to Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala to urge his government to use it upcoming presidency of the European Union to help drive forward vital EU initiatives to protect media freedom across the bloc, including the European Media Freedom Act (EFMA).

Sent on the eve of Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the open letter welcomes the Czech administration’s ongoing commitment to the freedom of the media and stresses the opportunity to advance the debate around the EMFA as a vital tool for pushing back against the threat posed to independent journalism by media capture.

Read the full letter below and a joint statement by the same groups on the need for a strong and ambitious EFMA

June 30, 2022

Petr Fiala, Prime Minister, Czech Republic

CC: Mikuláš Bek, Minister of Europe

CC: Charles Michel, President of the European Council

CC: Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

—

Dear Prime Minister Fiala,

On behalf of seventeen journalists, media freedom, and human rights groups we take the opportunity of the upcoming Czech Republic’s presidency of the Council of the European Union to welcome your government’s commitment to freedom of the media and determination to advance the EU’s ability to address threats to journalism and media freedom.

The current Commission has prioritized media freedom as part of its Democracy Action Plan and has taken important initiatives in advancing the safety of journalists through the recommendations issued in September 2021, and in addressing the balance of power on the internet to preserve fundamental human rights and combat disinformation in the Digital Services Act.

In April the much-needed anti-Slapps Directive was launched and, left undiluted in its current form, can make a very significant impact on protecting journalists from being targeted by vexatious lawsuits designed to stifle public debate and prevent accountability.

And under your presidency the European Commission is due to publish the European Media Freedom Act providing a crucial opportunity to combat the threats posed to European democracy by the capture of media by political parties and governments that has become increasingly prevalent in parts of the European Union.

Media Capture as conducted by political forces can be broadly understood as the abuse of government powers to create a pliant media acting in the interests of the government. It can be divided into four key areas,

the misuse and abuse of government funds – advertising, public subsidies or other public contracts – to boost media support for government and punish independent media
the taking over of media regulators with politically aligned supporters that can abuse their authority to rule on media licensing and mergers in favour of pro-government media
the manipulation of media ownership to create a bubble of government propaganda outfits – often dependent on government largess – and sidelining independent media to the edges of public debate
the control of public media, often converted into flagrant propaganda arms.

The EMFA should address all of these areas by introducing Europe wide rules on

Improving transparency of media ownership and funding and all financial relations between media and the government
Ending the abuse of government funds to finance media allies and creating a hostile economic environment to independent media
Improving the independence of media regulators, and
Protecting public media from political interference

The Czech Presidency has an opportunity to advance the debate around the EMFA as it understands well the threat posed by media capture and the necessity for EU action.

In particular you have witnessed how public advertising and public contracts were abused by the previous Czech government to fund media close to and owned by the former Prime Minister. You have also witnessed how the appointments process for the governing bodies of the Czech TV were politicised by the previous government in an attempt to take control of the public broadcaster. And you have witnessed how media pluralism can suffer when mainstream media are taken over by oligarchs dependent on close relations with the government to protect their broader business interests.

You were elected to power on the promise of promoting media freedom, independence and pluralism and introducing reforms to end the ability of governments to abuse state funds to influence media coverage. We ask you to help replicate these actions with a strong endorsement of the European Media Freedom Act.

Kind regards,

International Press Institute (IPI)

Association of European Journalists (AEJ Belgium)

Baltic Centre for Media Excellence (BCME)

Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties)

The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ)

Cultural Broadcasting Archive (cba), Vienna

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

Finnish Foundation for Media and Development

Free Press Unlimited

Global Forum for Media Development

IFEX

OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)

Ossigeno.info

Public Media Alliance (PMA)

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)

Society of Journalists, Warsaw

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, Candidate Countries and Ukraine.

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Albania: MFRR partners join an open letter to Prime…

Albania: MFRR partners join an open letter to Prime Minister Edi Rama

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today join an open letter to Prime Minister Edi Rama from international press freedom groups over decision to ban journalists from press conferences.

06 July 2022

Dear Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania,

Endri Fuga, Director General of the Media and Information Agency

Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

Olivér Várhelyi, EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

Alexis Hupin, Chargé d’affaires at EU Delegation to Albania,

Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights

Yuri Kim, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Albania

Dear Prime Minister Rama,

The undersigned media freedom and freedom of expression organisations are writing to protest against your recent decision to unilaterally ban journalists from attending government press conferences and demand they undergo “re-education” after they asked challenging questions about matters of public interest.

Our organisations are concerned that these arbitrary restrictions seriously affect the ability of the press to carry out its watchdog role and seek answers about challenging issues. They are also emblematic of deeper problems regarding access to information for journalists and the obstruction of free and independent journalism in Albania, which ranks 103rd in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index, dropping annually by 20 places.

We note that during a joint press conference with Foreign Affairs Minister Olta Xhaçka on 1 July 2022, you responded to questions asked to the minister by journalist Klevin Muka of CNN affiliate A2 by telling him that he had violated the journalistic code of ethics and that he needed to undergo three months of “re-education” before he would be welcome at future press events.

In our assessment, the questions from Mr. Muka involved a legitimate matter of public interest on the recently established Code of Ethics of the Council of Ministers and potential conflicts of interest involving the minister in question, and therefore justified a response. Instead, he now faces an arbitrary three-month ban from press conferences, which will seriously affect his ability to properly carry out his professional duties.

Concerningly, we note this is not the first time a journalist has faced such a restriction. During a press conference outside the headquarters of the Socialist Party in March 2022, you told Syri.net TV journalist Ambrioza Meta that she required “re-education” and was barred from press conferences for 60 days, after she asked public interest questions about the arrest of a Socialist party MP and a corruption case linked to incinerators.

To our understanding, no formal administrative sanction exists in Albania which allows journalists to be unilaterally banned from attending government press conferences by individual politicians, even those holding executive office. It is our view therefore that the measures imposed on both Klevin Muka and Ambrioza Meta were arbitrary and unjustified.

In a democratic society, it is not the role of elected officials to personally impose disciplinary measures on individual journalists over what they consider to be alleged breaches of ethics. We therefore urge you to immediately reverse the restriction on Klevin Muka and to refrain from imposing such measures on all members of the press in the future.

Our organisations believe strongly in professionalism and integrity of the journalistic profession, for which there are important initiatives in Albania underway. However, adherence to journalistic ethics and standards should be observed and handled from within the journalistic community itself, rather than imposed by political forces.

More generally, we see these restrictions as illustrative of wider problems regarding access to information for journalists and media freedom in Albania, issues our organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about. We also note the protest organised by journalists in Tirana on 4 July 2022, which criticised the restriction as emblematic of broader efforts by political forces to dictate what questions can and cannot be asked by journalists at press conferences.

We hope to see this situation remedied as quickly as possible. Moving forward, our organisations will also continue to monitor the situation for media freedom in Albania and to push for measures which foster a better climate for independent and watchdog media. We look forward to seeing your response and welcome any opportunity for further discussion.

Signed:

Balkan Free Media Initiative

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

Free Press Unlimited (FPU)

International Press Institute (IPI)

OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)

Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

SafeJournalists Network

Lënda: Letër e hapur, Kryeministrit Edi Rama nga grupet ndërkombëtare për lirinë e shtypit për vendimin mbi ndalimin e gazetarëve nga konferencat për shtyp

Drejtuar: z. Edi Rama,

Kryeministër i Shqipërisë

Për djeni:

Endri Fuga, Drejtor i Përgjithshëm i Agjencisë së Medias dhe Informacionit

Teresa Ribeiro, Përfaqësues i OSBE-së për Lirinë e Medias

Olivér Várhelyi, Komisioner i BE-së për Fqinjësinë dhe Zgjerimin

Alexis Hupin, i Ngarkuari me Punë në Delegacionin e BE-së në Shqipëri,

Dunja Mijatovic, Komisionere e Këshillit të Evropës për të Drejtat e Njeriut

Yuri Kim, Ambasadore e SHBA-së në Republikën e Shqipërisë

I nderuar Kryeministër Rama,

Organizatat e nënshkruara për lirinë e medias dhe lirinë e shprehjes po ju shkruajnë për të shprehur shqetësimin tonë për vendimin tuaj të fundit për të ndaluar në mënyrë të njëanshme pjesëmarrjen e gazetarëve në konferencat e shtypit të qeverisë dhe për të kërkuar që ata t’i nënshtrohen “riedukimit” pasi ata drejtuan pyetje sfiduese për çështje me interes publik.

Organizatat tona janë të shqetësuara se këto kufizime arbitrare ndikojnë seriozisht në aftësinë e shtypit për të kryer rolin e tyre mbikëqyrës dhe për të kërkuar përgjigje për çështje sfiduese. Ato janë gjithashtu emblematike e problemeve më të thella në lidhje me aksesin në informacion për gazetarët dhe pengimin e gazetarisë së lirë dhe të pavarur në Shqipëri, e cila renditet e 103-ta në Indeksin Botëror të Lirisë së Shtypit të RSF-së, duke rënë çdo vit me 20 vende.

Kemi vëmë re se gjatë një konference të përbashkët për shtyp me ministren e Jashtme Olta Xhaçka, më 1 korrik 2022, ju iu përgjigjët pyetjeve të gazetarit Klevin Muka të stacionit A2 degë CNN, duke i thënë se kishte shkelur kodin e etikës gazetareske dhe se ai duhej t’i nënshtrohej tre muajsh “riedukimit” përpara se të ishte i mirëpritur në konferencat e rradhës për shtyp.

Në vlerësimin tonë, pyetjet e zotit Muka përfshinin një çështje legjitime me interes publik mbi Kodin e Etikës të Këshillit të Ministrave të sapokrijuar dhe konflikte të mundshme interesi që përfshijnë ministren në fjalë, dhe për këtë arsye justifikonin një përgjigje. Në vend të kësaj, ai tani përballet me një ndalim arbitrar prej tre muajsh nga konferencat për shtyp, gjë që do të ndikojë seriozisht në aftësinë e tij për të kryer siç duhet detyrat e tij profesionale.

Me shqetësim, theksojmë se kjo nuk është hera e parë që një gazetar përballet me një kufizim të tillë. Gjatë një konference për shtyp jashtë selisë së Partisë Socialiste në mars 2022, ju i keni thënë gazetares së TV Syri.net, Ambrioza Meta se ajo kishte nevojë për “riedukim” dhe u ndalua nga konferencat për shtyp për 60 ditë, pasi ajo bëri pyetje me interes publik për arrestimin e një deputeti të Partisë Socialiste dhe një rast korrupsioni të lidhur me inceneratorët.

Në këndvështrimin tonë, në Shqipëri nuk ekziston asnjë sanksion administrativ zyrtar që lejon që gazetarët të ndalohen në mënyrë të njëanshme të marrin pjesë në konferencat e shtypit të qeverisë nga politikanë individualisht, apo edhe ata që mbajnë poste ekzekutive. Prandaj mendojmë se masat e vendosura si ndaj Klevin Mukës ashtu edhe ndaj Ambrioza Metës ishin arbitrare dhe të pajustifikuara.

Në një shoqëri demokratike, nuk është roli i zyrtarëve të zgjedhur që të vendosin personalisht masa disiplinore ndaj gazetarëve si individ mbi ato që ata konsiderojnë – me të drejtë ose jo – si shkelje të pretenduara të etikës. Ndaj ju bëjmë thirrje që të hiqni menjëherë kufizimin ndaj Klevin Mukës dhe të përmbaheni nga vendosja e masave të tilla ndaj të gjithë anëtarëve të shtypit në të ardhmen.

Organizatat tona besojnë fort në profesionalizmin dhe integritetin e profesionit të gazetarit, për të cilin janë duke u zhvilluar nisma të rëndësishme në Shqipëri. Megjithatë, respektimi i etikës dhe standardeve gazetareske duhet të respektohet dhe trajtohet nga brenda vetë komunitetit gazetaresk, në vend që të imponohet nga forcat politike.

Për më tepër, ne i shohim këto kufizime si ilustruese të problemeve më të gjera në lidhje me aksesin në informacion për gazetarët dhe lirinë e medias në Shqipëri, çështje për të cilat organizatat tona kanë ngritur vazhdimisht shqetësime. Vëmë re gjithashtu protestën e organizuar nga gazetarët në Tiranë më 4 korrik 2022, e cila kritikoi kufizimin emblematik të përpjekjeve më të gjera të forcave politike për të diktuar se çfarë pyetjesh mund dhe nuk mund të bëhen nga gazetarët në konferencat për shtyp.

Shpresojmë që kjo situatë të përmirësohet sa më shpejt që të jetë e mundur. Duke ecur përpara, organizatat tona do të vazhdojnë gjithashtu të monitorojnë situatën për lirinë e medias në Shqipëri dhe të nxisin masat që mbështesin një klimë më të mirë për mediat e pavarura dhe vëzhguese.

Ne mbetemi në pritje të përgjigjes tuaj dhe mirëpresim çdo mundësi për diskutim të mëtejshëm.

Nënshkruar:

Balkan Free Media Initiative

Qendra Evropiane për Lirinë e Shtypit dhe Medias (ECPMF)

Federata Evropiane e Gazetarëve (EFJ)

Instituti Ndërkombëtar i Shtypit (IPI)

OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)

Reporterët pa Kufij (RSF)

Rrjeti i Gazetarëve të Sigurt (SJN)

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Greece: MFRR partners welcome acquittal of journalists in Novartis…

Greece: MFRR partners welcome acquittal of journalists in Novartis criminal case

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today welcome the resounding exoneration of four Greek journalists and publishers who faced criminal charges and potential lengthy prison sentences linked to their media outlets’ investigative reporting which unveiled the Novartis pharmaceutical scandal. The acquittals represent an important validation of watchdog journalism in Greece and a vital – yet costly – victory for the rule of law and press freedom.

On 30 June 2022, the Judicial Council of the Supreme Court ruled that all allegations made against the journalists were baseless and declined to send them to full trial at the Special Court. The four journalists were: Kostas Vaxevanis, a veteran investigative journalist and publisher of Documento newspaper, Ioanna Papadakou, a former investigative journalist for To Vima newspaper, Ioannis Filippakis, publisher of newspaper Dimokratia and Alexandros Tarkas, a reporter at Dimokratia.

If eventually convicted of the four criminal charges – which included alleged membership of a criminal organisation which conspired to fabricate news stories about the Novartis scandal and three separate counts of conspiracy – each could have faced prison sentences of up to 20 years. All four maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings in the face of intense pressure.

Over the last six months our organisations have been closely following the hearings, called for guarantees of independence in the process, registered our concern on the Council of Europe’s safety of journalists platform, carefully assessed the evidence presented by prosecutors, and have been in contact with the journalists to provide support.

In our view, the evidence presented against the journalists lacked substance or legitimacy from the outset. Each of the journalists has expressed concern that the charges against them were a politically motivated attempt to criminalise them and punish their media outlets for years of hard-hitting investigative reporting.

The criminal nature of the charges, their connection to reporting on corruption, and the potential imprisonment of journalists in an EU Member State, raised major concerns amongst our organisations and at the European level, all at a time when Greece was already in the spotlight over a decline in press freedom under the New Democracy government. These criminal charges were among the most serious levied against members of the press anywhere in the EU at that time.

While the news of their acquittal is welcome, we are deeply concerned by the pressure faced by the journalists during the proceedings. Comments made by certain politicians and in particular Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis – who referred to some of the journalists as a “gang” in parliament – were deeply regrettable. This pressure has taken a serious psychological toll on all of those involved. Meanwhile, an MEP who spoke out publicly against the criminal charges and raised concern about the freedom of the media was expelled from the party.

In our view, this case is emblematic of far wider issues facing media freedom and the exercise of independent journalism in Greece. As outlined in our recent MFRR mission report, legal threats against the press are just one of a multitude of pressures which have created a hostile environment for watchdog reporting and undermine media freedom. While the signing of a memorandum aimed at strengthening the protection and safety of journalists is – if implemented properly – a welcome first step forward, the Greek government has a long way to go. Moving forward, steps must be taken to foster a media landscape in which the kind of brave watchdog journalism exemplified in this case is allowed to flourish.

Signed by:

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
International Press Institute (IPI)
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)

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Netherlands: Press freedom organisations welcome policy debate on media…

Netherlands: Press freedom organisations welcome policy debate on media freedom and journalists’ safety

The partners in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and other undersigned press freedom organisations welcome the publication of the letter from the Dutch Government to the Parliament of 29 June 2022 regarding a proposed policy approach on media freedom and safety of journalists.

We commend that in preparation of its letter, the Government has taken into account reports by domestic and international journalists’ and civil society organisations, including the work of the Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten, the recent MFRR report ‘Towards a safer haven: Advancing safety of journalists amidst rising threats in the Netherlands’ and Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index.

The undersigned organisations, while recognising that the Netherlands remains – by global standards – a relatively safe place for journalists and media workers, found there is room for improvement in a number of areas. These include the need to ensure a better understanding of the role of the press among the general public and the fact that specific categories of journalists, including women and freelance reporters, suffer specific threats that require a more targeted policy approach. We also call for a tailored approach to police protection against serious threats from organised crime. Furthermore, we recommend an enhanced focus on preventive measures.

The undersigned organisations welcome the Government’s constructive approach to these concerns, which we find reflected in its letter to Parliament, and look forward to seeing how this initial proposal will be further developed and strengthened through the upcoming parliamentary debate after recess, and beyond. In this regard, we also stress the importance of due implementation. We hope that throughout this process, politicians and policy makers will continue to seek and constructively engage with the views of domestic and international professional associations and civil society organisations, and we remain ready to participate in this process.

Signed by:

ARTICLE 19 Europe
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
International Press Institute (IPI)
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

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Concern over delay in investigation into leak of Emilia…

Media freedom groups concerned by delay in investigation into leak of Emilia Șercan’s stolen photos

MFRR consortium joined a collection of media freedom and freedom of expression groups in writing to Nicolae Ciucă, Prime Minister of Romania, Minister of Internal Affairs of Romania, Lucian Bode, General Prosecutor of Romania, Gabriela Scutea, General Prosecutor attached to the Bucharest Court of Appeal, Ioan Viorel Cerbu, Romanian Ombudsman, and Renate Weber, General Inspector of the Romanian Police, Quaestor of police Benone-Marian Matei.

The open letter, which follows up on a previous letter sent by the group on 13 April 2022, expresses concern at delays to the investigation into the publication of Romanian journalist Emilia Șercan’s stolen photos and the alleged leak of key elements of the investigation into this offense.

Open letter, sent electronically

28 June 2022

Dear Prime Minister of Romania, Nicolae Ciucă,

Dear Minister of Internal Affairs of Romania, Lucian Bode,

Dear General Prosecutor of Romania, Gabriela Scutea,

Dear General Prosecutor attached to the Bucharest Court of Appeal, Ioan Viorel Cerbu

Dear Romanian Ombudsman, Renate Weber,

Dear General Inspector of the Romanian Police, Quaestor of police Benone-Marian Matei

The undersigned organizations write to share their deep concerns about the delay in the investigations into the publication of Romanian journalist Emilia Șercan’s stolen photos and the alleged leak of key elements of the investigation into this offense.

The compelling need for independent investigations has been pointed out in an open letter that our organizations sent to the Romanian authorities in April 2022.

Although the principle of confidentiality of investigation applies, the law enforcement authorities seem to have failed – according to available information – to make significant progress four months after Emilia Șercan became the target of harassment and a smear campaign through the publication of her private pictures and the alleged leak of key elements of the criminal investigation into the matter amplifying the exposure of her private pictures. .

Moreover, neither the response of the Ministry of Interior to the above-mentioned open letter, nor the state reply to the alert published on the Council of Europe’s platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists addressed our organizations’ legitimate concerns about the progress of the investigation into the leak.

Hence, our organizations find that the authorities are neither designating the investigation a priority, nor devoting sufficient resources to it.

Guaranteeing a swift and independent investigation appears all the more necessary and urgent in the light of the risk of alteration of evidence and of the inaccessibility of the evidence caused by the delay. This could significantly complicate the proper conduct of the investigation.

Furthermore, the information newly added to the file indicates possible involvement of the police in the alleged leak from the criminal investigation into the offense, as a screenshot that Emilia Șercan had provided to the police appeared in the media along with her private pictures. It seems that before the leak, solely the police – in addition to the journalist herself – had access to the screenshot.

This last hypothesis is supported by a recent independent expert report concluding that any surveillance of the plaintiff’s devices is unlikely.

It is all the more crucial to prosecute these offenses given that they specifically target a journalist who has been threatened for her investigations into the practice of plagiarism by heads of the highest state institutions, including military educational institutions.

It is of utmost importance that the probe into both the threats that targeted Emilia Șercan and into the alleged leak of her stolen pictures from the criminal investigation be conducted in total independence and reach a successful conclusion as soon as possible.

As stated by Vice-President of the European Commission Vera Jourova in her reply to the open letterof Members of the European Parliament on Emilia Șercan’s case, “the Commission calls on Member States to investigate and prosecute all criminal acts committed against journalists, whether online or offline, in an impartial, independent, effective, transparent and timely manner (…) and (to) make full use of existing national and European legislation, to ensure that fundamental rights are protected and justice is swiftly delivered in particular cases and prevent the emergence of a ‘culture ’ of impunity regarding attacks against journalists”.

Indeed, the authorities swift and transparent action in Emilia Șercan’s case is in the interest of improving press freedom in Romania, which recently has declined due to an increasing number of threats and resulted in RSF ranking the country 56th in its World Press Freedom Index.

Thank you for considering our concerns.

Signed by:

ActiveWatch
Article 19 Europe
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
International Press Institute (IPI)
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Transmis electronic

Paris, 28 iunie 2022

Subiect: Publicarea pozelor furate ale Emiliei Șercan și presupusa scurgere din ancheta penală

Stimate premier al României, Nicolae Ciucă,

Stimate ministru al Afacerilor Interne al României, Lucian Bode,

Stimate procuror general al României, Gabriela Scutea,

Stimate procuror general de pe lângă Curtea de Apel București, Ioan Viorel Cerbu

Stimate Avocat al Poporului, Renate Weber,

Stimate Inspector General al Poliției Române, Chestor de poliție Benone-Marian Matei

Organizațiile semnatare vă scriu pentru a-și împărtăși îngrijorarea profundă cu privire la întârzierea investigațiilor privind publicarea fotografiilor furate ale jurnalistei românce Emilia Șercan și presupusa scurgere a unor elemente cheie ale anchetei în această infracțiune.

Necesitatea imperioasă a unor investigații independente a fost subliniată într-o scrisoare deschisă pe care organizațiile noastre au trimis-o autorităților române în aprilie 2022.

Deși se aplică principiul confidențialității anchetei, autoritățile de aplicare a legii par să fi eșuat – conform informațiilor disponibile – în a face progrese semnificative la patru luni după ce Emilia Șercan a devenit ținta hărțuirii și a unei campanii de defăimare prin publicarea fotografiilor sale private și prin presupusa scurgere de elemente cheie ale anchetei penale, amplificând expunerea pozelor sale private.

Mai mult, nici răspunsul Ministerului Afacerilor Interne la scrisoarea deschisă menționată mai sus, nici răspunsul statului la alerta publicată pe platforma Consiliului Europei pentru promovarea protecției jurnalismului și a siguranței jurnaliştilor, nu au abordat preocupările legitime ale organizaţiilor noastre cu privire la progresul anchetei privind scurgerea.

Prin urmare, organizațiile noastre constată că autoritățile nu acordă acestei investigații un statut prioritar și nici nu îi alocă resurse suficiente.

Garantarea unei investigații rapide și independente pare cu atât mai necesară și mai urgentă în lumina riscului de alterare a probelor și a inaccesibilității probelor, cauzate de întârziere. Acest lucru ar putea complica semnificativ desfășurarea corectă a investigației.

Mai mult, informațiile nou adăugate la dosar indică o posibilă implicare a poliției în presupusa scurgere din investigația penală asupra infracțiunii, întrucât în mass-media a apărut o captură de ecran pe care Emilia Șercan o furnizase polițiștilor, alături de pozele sale private. Se pare că înainte de scurgere, doar poliția – pe lângă jurnalista însăși – a avut acces la această captură de ecran.

Această ultimă ipoteză este susținută de un recent raport de expertiză independentă care concluzionează că orice supraveghere a dispozitivelor reclamantei Emilia Șercan este puțin probabilă.

Este cu atât mai important să investigăm aceste infracțiuni cu cât vizează în mod specific o jurnalistă care a fost amenințată pentru anchetele ei privind practicarea plagiatului de către șefi ai celor mai înalte instituții ale statului, inclusiv instituții militare de învățământ.

Este de maximă importanță ca ancheta atât cu privire la amenințările care au vizat-o pe Emilia Șercan, cât și cu privire la presupusa scurgere, a pozelor ei furate, din cadrul urmăririi penale, să se desfășoare în deplină independență și să ajungă la o rezolvare cu succes cât mai curând posibil.

După cum a afirmat vicepreședinta Comisiei Europene, Vera Jourova, în răspunsul său la scrisoarea deschisă a deputaților din Parlamentul European cu privire la cazul Emilia Șercan, „Comisia solicită statelor membre să investigheze și să urmărească penal toate faptele penale comise împotriva jurnaliştilor, fie online, sau offline, într-o manieră imparțială, independentă, eficientă, transparentă și în timp util (…) și (să) utilizeze pe deplin legislația națională și europeană existentă, pentru a se asigura că drepturile fundamentale sunt protejate și că actul de justiție este îndeplinit rapid în cazuri individuale și pentru a preveni apariția unei <<culturi>> a impunității în ceea ce privește atacurile împotriva jurnaliștilor”.

Într-adevăr, acțiunea rapidă și transparentă a autorităților în cazul Emiliei Șercan este în interesul îmbunătățirii stării libertății presei în România, care recent a scăzut ca urmare a unui număr tot mai mare de amenințăr, și a dus la clasarea de către RSF a țării pe locul 56 în Indexul mondial al libertății presei.

Vă mulțumim că luați în considerare preocupările noastre.

Signed by:

Reporteri fără Frontiere (RSF)
ActiveWatch
Article 19 Europe
Federația Europeană a Jurnaliştilor (EFJ)
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)
International Press Institute (IPI)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

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Czech Republic: MFRR pushes for reforms to strengthen independence…

Czech Republic: MFRR pushes for reforms to strengthen independence of public broadcaster

Representatives from the International Press Institute (IPI) and European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) travelled to Prague on Wednesday June 15 to meet with officials from the Ministry of Culture and push for the development of reforms which strengthen the independence of the country’s public broadcaster.

During the one-day visit, the delegation met with journalists and editors from independent media, representatives from the Endowment Fund for Independent Journalism (NFNZ), the director general of the Czech Television Petr Dvořák, and representatives from the Ministry of Culture under the new coalition government of Petr Fiala.

Discussions centred around the preparation of draft amendments aimed at creating additional safeguards to protect the institutional and editorial independence of Czech Television, which faced sustained pressure under the former government led by Andrej Babiš.

During the meeting with the Ministry, it was confirmed to the delegation that progress had been made in negotiations regarding the amendments and that the cabinet is due to discuss a re-worked package of reforms this week, June 20-24.

The new package contains only a handful of the amendments initially proposed by civil society groups including the NFNZ and IPI CZ and which were supported by the organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR). According to information provided to the delegation, the revised amendments will include:

Changing the law so that both chambers of parliament, rather than just the Chamber of Deputies, will be involved in appointments to the Czech Television Council. This more staggered system is intended to make it more difficult for a government to use a parliamentary majority to overly politicise the composition of the council;

Tightening the rules for who can nominate candidates for the CT Council. Under the proposed amendment, only established institutions with 10 years of experience in the fields such as media, culture or human rights would be permitted to nominate candidates;

Removing the ability of parliament to reject the annual report of the public broadcaster, eliminating the ability of the parliament to twice reject the report and subsequently dismiss the entire CT Council;

Increasing the number of councillors on the CT Council from 15 to 18. Under the draft, the Senate would vote for six and the Chamber of Deputies will appoint the other 12. A qualified majority of 10 would be needed to appoint and dismiss the director general.

As part of the initial reform package developed by the Ministry of Culture, when the amendments entered into force the entire CT Council would have been dismissed and elections would have been held under the new appointment system. However, the Legislative Council of the Government raised concerns about the legality of the move and a compromise was required, causing significant delays while coalition parties negotiated an alternative.

Under the rewritten plans, the number of councillors will instead be increased by three. In another shift, the Chamber of Deputies would elect two thirds of the councillors rather than the original proposed 50:50 split between the Chamber and the Senate.

If approved by the cabinet in June, the draft amendment would then need approval from the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate before being signed into law.

“It is uplifting to finally see progress made on the preparation of a new draft. While this new package contains only a fraction of the initial proposals, if passed these amendments would still have a significant impact and create additional safeguards against future attempts to undermine the independence of Czech Television”, said IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen, who participated in the visit. “We urge the cabinet to swiftly approve this first package of reforms and send the package to parliament for a vote. It is vital that early momentum of improving the landscape for media freedom is not lost.

“However, this should be seen as a first step in a wider process of reform – one which must urgently include the provision of sustainable financing for Czech Television. The Czech public broadcaster has been, and remains, a standard bearer for other public service media in the region. Shoring up its financial stability and passing amendments which help future-proof the institution against political attacks would provide a much-needed example of resilience in central and eastern Europe. Our organisations will continue to closely follow the legislative process and push for additional needed improvements for media freedom in the coming months.”

During the meeting at the Ministry, the delegation was also informed that a working group is due to be established to discuss a second package of reforms to the Act on Czech Television and Czech Radio. This would include the proposal to legislate for automatic increases in the licence fee in line with inflation, as well as greater judicial oversight over dismissals of councillors and the creation of professional criteria for those seeking election to the CT Council. IPI strongly urged that this working group include independent national and international experts.

Coming in the wake of an announcement about forced cuts to budgets and staff numbers, a solution to the unsustainable financial situation at Czech Television is viewed by the delegation as essential in the coming months. In total, the broadcaster will be forced to cut 910 million crowns (€36.8 million) by 2024 and intends to axe its newest channel, ČT3. The license fee has not increased since 2008.

During the visit of the delegation to Prague, the delayed election for the CT Council was also held. After the governing coalition passed a motion for the vote to be made public, the opposition party boycotted the vote. Five new councillors were appointed, all of whom have suitable professional qualifications and expertise.

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, Candidate Countries and Ukraine.

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Spain: Fine against photographer underscores urgent need for reform…

Spain: Fine against photographer underscores urgent need for reform of Gag Law

The undersigned organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today express serious concern over the recent €1,000 fine issued to Pulitzer prize-winning photographer Javier Bauluz under Spain’s controversial “Gag Law”. Our organisations believe this fine represents another example of the need for the Spanish government to urgently reform the most problematic elements of the law in line with international human rights standards to protect freedom of expression and the freedom of the press.

In November 2020, the photographer had been documenting the arrival of thousands of refugees and migrants to Gran Canaria. As he attempted to take photographs one morning of the arrival of a rescue boat at the port in Arguineguín, he was approached by two police officers. Video footage appears to show one of the officers grab him by the arm and demand he leave the public area. After Bauluz protested, the police issued him with two fines for “disrespecting an agent” and “refusing to identify himself”.

More than a year and a half later, Bauluz finally received a €960 fine for the two charges under Article 36.6 and Article 37.4 of Spain’s Law on the Protection of Citizens’ Safety – dubbed the “Gag Law”. Bauluz rejected the fines and said that police had limited press access to the arrival centre, unjustifiably limiting the ability of the press to properly document the situation at the centre, which had been criticised for unacceptable conditions. There is no option to appeal the administrative sanctions.

Bauluz is one of the many journalists, photographers and activists in Spain who have been fined under the 2015 Gag Law for alleged behaviours that would endanger the work of law enforcement authorities. Among other rules, the legislation allows authorities to fine journalists and media organisations for distributing unauthorised images of police. Media freedom groups and human rights organisations have repeatedly criticised the law for violating freedom of expression and leading to arbitrary sanctions against journalists and media workers like Bauluz.

In December 2020, the Spanish Parliament started a long awaited discussion over the reform of the law. However, unfortunately this has not led to any tangible results so far, despite being one of the promises in the manifesto of the current government. The Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic has expressed her concern over the text of the suggested bill, which she considers insufficient to fully comply with Spain’s human rights obligations. In January 2021, the Constitutional Court validated the law’s compliance with constitutional principles, except for the provision referring to prohibition of unauthorised recording of law enforcement operations.

In the wake of the fine issued against Bauluz, MFRR partners again urge the Spanish government to push forward and undertake a comprehensive reform of the Ley Mordaza in line with international human rights standards. Our organisations also call for the fine against Bauluz to be immediately withdrawn. It is vital that all barriers that hamper the ability of journalists and photojournalists to carry out public interest work and document potential rights abuses are removed. Until this legislation is reformed, press freedom in Spain will continue to suffer.

Signed by:

ARTICLE 19 Europe
International Press Institute (IPI)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Plataforma por la Libertad de Información (PLI) [Platform for the Defence of Freedom of Information]
FAPE (Federación de Asociaciones de Periodistas de España)

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Feindbild Journalist 6 – Hatred on the Doorstep

(Leipzig, 14/06/2022) — The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response, (MFRR) has published the English translation of the 2021 iteration of “Feindbild”, an annual study into politically-motivated violence against journalists in Germany. “Feindbild 6 – Hatred on the Doorstep” was first published in German in April 2022.

Key findings: A new negative record

As part of the study, ECPMF recorded a record number of 83 physical attacks on journalists and media workers, an increase of 14 from the previous year. These attacks affected 124 media workers or teams, although the researchers assume that the number of unreported cases is high. Co-author of the report, Martin Hoffmann said:

Since we started recording cases in 2015, we have never verified so many violent attacks against media professionals as in 2021. Serious threats and physical attacks are part of the everyday work of more and more journalists. This does not remain without consequences. A growing number of journalists are therefore withdrawing from covering demonstrations.

Demonstrations and protests were the context in which attacks against the press happened most frequently in Germany. 75% took place at demonstrations of pandemic-related protest networks such as Querdenken.

As in previous years, Saxony remains the largest offender when it comes to politically-motivated violence against journalists, with 23 recorded incidents in 2021. However, this year marked an increase in the number of attacks taking place in western Germany.

The political background of the attackers in 2021 was highly varied. 39% of attackers came from right-wing perpetrators, 1% from the left, and 39% could not be attributed to any particular political stance.

Attacks increased towards the end of 2021, with 19 recorded in December and 18 in January 2022 — the highest number recorded in any two months since the start of the research in 2015.

Support from BDZV

For the first time, the German Federal Association of Digital Publishers and Newspaper Publishers (BDZV) supported the production of the Feindbild study. Speaking of the report’s findings, Mr. Sigrun Albert, General Manager of BDZV said:

Unfortunately, the new Feindbild study confirms our assumption that local journalists are increasingly being targeted by violent attacks because of their work. Hateful attacks and massive digital threats are also at least as disturbing.

BDZV will partner with and support ECPMF to implement long-term monitoring of attacks facing journalists in Germany and to develop counter-measures in response. Dr. Lutz Kinkel, Managing Director of ECPMF, said:

What we need is more protection for media professionals, more consistent punishment of criminal offences, and more media literacy education. The partnership with BDZV enables us to explore and analyse the problems in the local space more intensively in the future. We are looking forward to the collaboration.

Download the report

This report 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, Candidate Countries and Ukraine.

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International groups call on Turkey’s parliament to reject the…

International groups call on Turkey’s parliament to reject the “disinformation” bill as a tool of digital censorship

Twenty three international media freedom, freedom of expression and journalists’ organisations today called for the immediate dismissal of the bill on “disinformation and fake news” which was submitted to the parliament on May 27 by the governing alliance of Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

[Açıklamanın Türkçe çevirisi aşağıdadır]

The bill threatens up to three years imprisonment for those found guilty of the deliberate publishing of “disinformation and fake news” intended to instigate fear or panic, endanger the country’s internal or external security, public order and general health of Turkey’s society.

Such a bill, where the definition of disinformation and ‘intent’ is left so vague, puts millions of Turkey’s internet users at risk of criminal action for posting information that the government disagrees with.

Placed in the hands of Turkey’s highly politicized judiciary, the law would become another tool for harassing journalists and activists and may cause blanket self-censorship across the internet.

The bill would also increase any sentence by 50% where information is published from anonymous user accounts. This severely undermines anonymity on the internet and further intimidates those wanting to publish evidence of corruption and wrongdoing but are afraid of the consequences of being publicly identified.

The governing alliance claim the bill is in line with the European Union’s Digital Services Act and General Data Protection Regulation, however there are no such provisions under either of these laws.

The law would also bring news sites under the Press Law (Basin Kanunu). This gives their journalists access to the official press accreditation and also to public advertising funds through the official Press Advertising Agency, Basin Ilan Kurumu (BIK). In practice however this will simply enable the government to fund pro-government news sites while banning critical media deemed to have breached the disinformation law.

In the drafting stage, the government reportedly organized a consultation with international digital platforms yet it failed to hold any meetings with media representatives, editors, journalism associations or unions, despite these groups, and their members, being the most affected by the legislation.

The draft bill is currently before the Parliament. However the role of parliament has been so heavily undermined by the Presidential system that the bill is being rushed through without proper scrutiny or debate and expected to be passed swiftly into law within days.

Disinformation is an important issue and needs to be combatted but not at the price of restricting journalists’ rights and the public’s rights of freedom of expression. Any such initiatives should be developed in close consultation with media and other stakeholders and include sufficient safeguards for free speech and independent journalism that can prevent their abuse by the government to impose arbitrary censorship.

We, therefore, call on all Turkey’s parliamentarians who believe in the parliamentary process and the free flow of ideas and information as central to a democratic society, to vote down this bill.

Uluslararası kurumlar, Türkiye meclisini dijital sansürün bir aracı olarak görülen “dezenformasyon” yasa tasarısına karşı çıkmaya çağırıyor.

Yirmi üç uluslararası basın özgürlüğü, ifade hürriyeti ve gazetecilik örgütü, Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi’nin (AKP) ve iktidar müttefiki Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi (MHP) tarafından 27 Mayıs’ta meclise sunduğu “dezenformasyon ve yalan haber” konulu yasa tasarısının bugün yayınladıkları bir ortak açıklamayla derhal geri çekilmesi çağrısında bulundu.

Tasarıda, korku ve panik yaratmaya, ülkenin iç ve dış güvenliğini, kamu düzenini ve Türkiye toplumunun genel sağlığını tehlikeye atmayı amaçlayan “dezenformasyon ve yalan haber” kasıtlı olarak yayımlamaktan suçlu bulunanlar üç yıla kadar hapisle tehdit ediliyor.
Dezenformasyon ve ‘niyet’ tanımının bu kadar muğlak bırakıldığı böyle bir yasa tasarısı, Türkiye’de milyonlarca internet kullanıcısını iktidarın onaylamadığı bilgileri paylaştığı için cezai işlem riskiyle karşı karşıya bırakıyor.

Türkiye’nin son derece politize olmuş yargısının ellerine bırakılan yasa, gazetecileri ve aktivistleri taciz etmenin başka bir aracı haline gelebilir ve internette kapsamlı bir otosansüre neden olabilir.

Tasarı ayrıca, bilgilerin anonim kullanıcı hesaplarından yayınlandığı durumlarda herhangi bir hapis cezasını yüzde 50 oranında artıracaktır. Bu, internetteki anonimliği ciddi şekilde baltalar ve yolsuzluk ve görevi kötüye kullanmanın kanıtlarını yayınlamak isteyebilecek ancak kamuoyuna açıklanmanın sonuçlarına dair çekinceleri olan kişileri daha da korkutur.

İktidarda bulunan AKP ve MHP ittifakı, tasarının Avrupa Birliği’nin Dijital Hizmetler Yasası ve Genel Veri Koruma Yönetmeliği ile uyumlu olduğunu iddia ediyor, ancak bu yasaların kapsamında böyle bir hüküm bulunmuyor.

Kanun tasarısı, haber sitelerini de Basın Kanunu kapsamına almayı öngörüyor. Bu, internet ortamında faaliyet gösteren mecralara bağlı gazetecilere resmi basın kartı tahsisi sağlayacak ve ayrıca kurumlara da Basın İlan Kurumu (BİK) aracılığıyla kamu reklam fonlarına erişimi mümkün kılacak. Ancak uygulamada bu, iktidarın hükümet yanlısı haber sitelerini finanse etmesine ve dezenformasyon yasasını ihlal ettiği düşünülen eleştirel medyayı kısıtlamasına olanak tanıyacaktır.

Taslak aşamasında hükümetin uluslararası dijital platformlarla bir istişare düzenlediği, ancak mevzuattan en çok etkilenmesi beklenen bu gruplara ve temsilcilerine, medya temsilcileri, editörler, gazetecilik dernekleri veya sendikalar ile herhangi bir görüşme yapmadığı bildirildi.
Tasarı şu anda Meclis aşamasında. Ancak, Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi’nin rolü, Başkanlık sistemi tarafından o kadar ağır bir şekilde sarsıldı ki, yasa tasarısı uygun bir inceleme veya tartışma yapılmadan aceleye getirilmekte ve birkaç gün içinde hızla yasalaşması bekleniyor.

Dezenformasyon önemli bir konu ve mücadele edilmesi gerekiyor, ancak gazetecilerin haklarını ve kamuoyunun ifade hürriyetini kısıtlamak pahasına böylesi bir adım atılamaz. Bu tür girişimler, medya ve diğer paydaşlarla yakın istişare içinde geliştirilmeli ve hükûmet tarafından keyfi bir biçimde sansür uygulamak için bunların kötüye kullanılmasını önleyebilecek ifade hürriyeti ve bağımsız habercilik için yeterli güvenceleri içermelidir.

Bu nedenle, meclis aşamasında, demokratik bir toplumun temeli olarak ifade hürriyeti ve bilginin serbestçe dolaşabilmesine inanan Türkiye’deki tüm milletvekillerini bu tasarıyı reddetmeye çağırıyoruz.

Signed by:

International Press Institute (IPI)
ARTICLE 19
Articolo 21
Association of European Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
Danish PEN
English PEN
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Foreign Media Association (FMA)
IFEX
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA)
Media Research Association (MEDAR)
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)
PEN America
PEN International
PEN Norway
Platform for Independent Journalism (P24)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
Swedish Pen
The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ)
Turkey Human Rights Litigation Support Project
World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)

This statement was coordinated by ECPMF and 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, Candidate Countries and Ukraine.

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Moderator

Scott Griffen

Speakers

Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield

Dr. Polyák Gábor

Piotr Stasiński

Agnes Urban

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Greece: MFRR partners welcome acquittal of journalists in Novartis criminal case

Netherlands: Press freedom organisations welcome policy debate on media freedom and journalists’ safety

Media freedom groups concerned by delay in investigation into leak of Emilia Șercan’s stolen photos

Czech Republic: MFRR pushes for reforms to strengthen independence of public broadcaster

Spain: Fine against photographer underscores urgent need for reform of Gag Law

Feindbild Journalist 6 – Hatred on the Doorstep

Key findings: A new negative record

Support from BDZV

International groups call on Turkey’s parliament to reject the “disinformation” bill as a tool of digital censorship

Uluslararası kurumlar, Türkiye meclisini dijital sansürün bir aracı olarak görülen “dezenformasyon” yasa tasarısına karşı çıkmaya çağırıyor.

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