Greece: EFJ demands full disclosure on illegal surveillance of…

Greece: EFJ demands full disclosure on illegal surveillance of journalists

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) condemns the legal actions aimed at muzzling and intimidating the press in the context of the scandal of illegal government practices in Greece, in particular the tapping of journalists and politicians.

The EFJ condemns the abusive legal proceedings launched on Friday 5 August by Grigoris Dimitriadis, resigning adviser and nephew of Greek Prime Minister Kyriákos Mitsotákis, against journalists Thanasis Koukakis, Nikolas Leontopoulos and Thodoris Chondrogiannos, as well as against the website Reporters United and the newspaper EfSyn.

“We demand the immediate withdrawal of these complaints, which are only intended to intimidate the press and prevent the exposure of the illegal and undemocratic practices of those in power in Greece”, said EFJ President Maja Sever.

On 29 July, the Director of the Greek National Intelligence Service (EYP), Panagiotis Kontoleon, who also resigned after the scandal was revealed, admitted to a parliamentary committee that his services had been monitoring journalist Thanasis Koukakis from 15 May to 12 August 2020. It was learned that the journalist had also been monitored by Predator spyware from 12 July to 24 September 2021.

“We call on the Greek judicial authorities to activate judicial investigations into private and public actors, including those close to the Prime Minister, who use Predator software to spy on journalists,” said EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutiérrez. “We call on them to shed light on the illegal tapping of journalists by the intelligence services and to identify and convict those responsible. Journalism is not a crime, but obstructing the work of journalists is a crime against democracy.”

This statement is 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.

Serbia: REM’s awarding of TV licences underscores media pluralism…

Serbia: REM’s awarding of TV licences underscores media pluralism and media diversity failure

Partners of the MFRR have expressed concern about the Serbian Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM)’s decision to award TV licenses to media outlets all supportive of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party.

Serbia’s Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) has recently concluded the process of awarding four national FTA TV licences. The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) previously criticised the process around this decision, which lacked transparency and did not comply with international media freedom standards. The decision taken by REM to award the available national TV licences to the same four pro-government outlets has perpetuated a deeply unbalanced commercial broadcast media market and is another example of the authority’s failure to protect media diversity and pluralism in Serbia.

In its decision published on 29 July 2022, the REM awarded TV licences to Pink, Happy, B92 and Prva televisions – media all supportive of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. On 5 August, the REM published a summary explanation of its decision, affirming that it was made to achieve a greater quality and diversity of content and through a comparative quality analysis of their fulfilment of criteria to award the licences. These However, all four outlets have been repeatedly criticised by civil society for their lack of respect for a variety of national laws and regulations, and for spreading hate speech and smearing political opponents to the current government. According to data from Serbia’s Coalition for Media Freedom, “in 2020 alone, over 12,000 violations of the Advertising Act were committed by these four television stations, and several reports were filed for hate speech and broadcasting of violence”.

Furthermore, the REM’s process of awarding TV licences failed to meet the requirements set under its own guidelines on the minimum conditions for the provision of media services. These include that licences should be awarded to broadcasters that respect the programming parameters for broadcasting licences and should be distributed in a manner that favours the provision of a plurality and diversity of views and ideas. The REM’s decision is yet another worrying indication of its lack of functional independence from political forces and another major failure of its regulatory responsibilities, one which further undermines media pluralism and democracy in Serbia.

International standards on freedom of expression prescribe media diversity and a fair and transparent process for awarding TV licences. As set out by the Principles on Freedom of Expression and Broadcast Regulation, promoting diversity in broadcasting services “implies pluralism of broadcasting organisations, of ownership of those organisations, and of voices, viewpoints and languages within broadcast programming as a whole. In particular, diversity implies the existence of a wide range of independent broadcasters and programming that represents and reflects society as a whole.” (Principle 3). Furthermore, “licence applications should be assessed according to clear criteria set out in advance in legal form (laws or regulations)”, which must be respected during the decision making process (Principle 21).

Two national organisations, the Slavko Curuvija Foundation and CRTA, have announced their intention to file a lawsuit against REM before the Administrative Court in accordance with the Law on Administrative Disputes and on the basis that the awarding process of TV licences violated the relevant laws and regulations. Such legal action is intended to push the REM to issue TV licences on the basis of the parameters set out by its own guidelines and by national law.

The REM also announced that a fifth TV licence might be awarded later in the autumn. There is speculation that this delay could be intended to favour Hungary’s TV2, which is owned by a key ally to the ruling Fidesz party of Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, to enter the Serbian market. Research conducted by the International Press Institute has shown how Hungarian business interests allied to the government have increasingly been investing in media across the Balkans which are aligned with Fidesz’s political allies, including in Hungarian language media in Serbia.

The MFRR and NUNS stress the impact that REM’s problematic licensing decision will have over media freedom and independence in the country and over Serbia’s citizens’ right to receive diversity of information from a plurality of media. We call for REM to review its decision and comply with national rules and regulations in the allocation of TV frequencies. We urge the Administrative Court to provide a swift response to any legal action taken as a result of this process, in full compliance with international freedom of expression standards. Finally, we stress the need for a comprehensive reform of the REM’s composition to ensure its independence from political interference and its functionality.

Signed by:

ARTICLE 19 Europe
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS)
International Press Institute (IPI)
Free Press Unlimited
OBC 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, Candidate Countries and Ukraine.

Poland: Ombudsman must appeal acquisition of newspaper by state-controlled…

Poland: Ombudsman must appeal acquisition of newspaper by state-controlled oil company

Partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) have written to Marcin Wiącek, Polish Human Rights Ombudsman, expressing concern at his decision to refrain from appealing the acquisition of regional newspaper publisher Polska Press by PKN Orlen, a state-controlled media company.

Office of the Ombudsman

Aleja “Solidarności” 77,

00-090 Warszawa,

Poland

4 August 2022

Dear Polish Ombudsman, Marcin Wiącek

The undersigned organisations write to you regarding your decision to refrain from appealing the acquisition of regional newspaper publisher Polska Press by Poland’s state-controlled oil company PKN Orlen. Challenging this damaging decision is pivotal for upholding media freedom and competition in the media market in Poland. We therefore encourage you to reconsider an appeal before the deadline of 10 August.

On 7 June 2022, the Warsaw regional court of competition dismissed the appeal of the Polish Human Rights Ombudsman brought by your predecessor Adam Bodnar against the takeover of the biggest and most influential regional publisher in Poland, Polska Press. Our organisations take note of your official statement issued on 3 August 2022. We support your call for a public debate about better and stronger guarantees of media pluralism. We hope that such calls will be listened to by, first among many, the European Commission in its upcoming proposal for a European Media Freedom Act. We remain at your disposal to engage in a dialogue on this issue. Nevertheless, we must again underscore that lodging an appeal to contest the regional court’s decision, and asking for the annulment of the Poland’s competition authority’s approval of the Polska Press acquisition by PKN Orlen, is currently of utmost importance.

On 1 June 2021, ARTICLE 19 Europe submitted an amicus brief challenging the UOKiK’s decision which has been rejected by the court twice. It explained that the decision by Poland’s competition regulator, UOKiK was taken in violation of EU merger rules, as it completely failed to assess that the buyer, PKN Orlen, is de facto a state-controlled company (as confirmed, among others, by the same PKN Orlen in a recent merger case before the European Commission). In turn, this vitiated the entire assessment of the merger’s impact on competition in the Polish media market. Therefore, even without recurring to a media plurality test, ARTICLE 19 showed the court that the UOKiK’s decision should be annulled, and the competition assessment performed again, taking into due account the impact of the state control of Orlen.

Furthermore, ARTICLE 19 Europe argued that as media pluralism is guaranteed both by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention of Human Rights, the Polish State, as well as its independent authorities, have the duty to include it in their assessment. The undersigned organisations support the legal arguments laid out by ARTICLE 19 Europe and underscore that the final ruling should comply with both EU law on mergers and with Poland’s obligations regarding European standards on media pluralism.

In addition, our organisations have previously warned that such acquisition would hand the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party greater indirect control over the regional media landscape ahead of the 2023 national elections as well as lead to a purge of critical editors and journalists in local newspapers.

We are concerned that the acquisition of Polska Press by a state-controlled company headed by figures close to PiS leadership is a central element of PiS’s stated plans for “repolonization” of the media landscape. Though couched in language of pluralism and national sovereignty, these efforts have in reality been aimed at engineering the takeover of independent press by entities linked to the ruling party and strengthening the market influence of pro-government media.

This approach emulates developments in Hungary where regional newspapers were acquired by business interests with strong ties to the government and eventually turned into mouthpieces for supporting Fidesz’s political agenda. These fears were not misplaced: PKN Orlen did not abide by the court’s decision to suspend the purchase for the time of hearing the appeal and either dismissed or pushed out more than a dozen editors-in-chief at newspapers owned by Polska Press since March 2021, with many more leaving in protest, leading to a visible shift in coverage, self-censorship, and a marked drop in editorial standards at some titles.

We respect the vital role the Polish Ombudsman plays in promoting and protecting the enjoyment and full realisation, by all people in Poland, of all human rights, which includes the right to information. In this regard, we strongly believe that your intervention and appealing the court’s verdict is indispensable to ensure that the pillars of media pluralism and media independence in Poland are safeguarded. We thus hope you will reconsider your decision.

Our organisations will continue to closely monitor how the events unfold and would be glad to offer our expertise on media freedom and pluralism, as well as support in the appeal process.

We ask you to take our concerns into consideration and look forward to your response.

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)
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)

Tackling Impunity: Lessons from the Public Inquiry into the…

Tackling Impunity: Lessons from the Public Inquiry into the Assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia

The murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia sent shockwaves across Europe and was a grim reminder of the risk reporters face while uncovering abuses of power. It was the first assassination of a journalist worldwide to be investigated through an independent Public Inquiry. To mark one year since the damning findings were unveiled, ARTICLE 19 Europe and The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation today publish a report that explores the efficacy of the Maltese Public Inquiry model, assessing whether it stands up as good practice.

The Public Inquiry into the circumstances of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination was the first Public Inquiry to have taken place in Malta in nearly 20 years. It followed a strong public demand for a strengthened capacity to tackle corruption and wider rule-of-law reforms. The research from ARTICLE 19 Europe and The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, ‘Tackling Impunity: Lessons from the Public Inquiry into the Assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia’, assesses the significance of the Maltese Public Inquiry in the fight for truth, accountability and justice for Daphne’s assassination and the vital role civil society and international organisations play in ensuring an independent investigation is carried out. In addition, the report identifies lessons that can be learned from the Public Inquiry process so far, summarises its key achievements, and makes recommendations to the Government of Malta, to European Union institutions, and to international civil society.

Download the Report

This report was coordinated 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.

Malta: Public Inquiry report recommendations must be implemented

A year on from the publication of the Public Inquiry report into the assassination of Malta’s leading investigative journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia, the undersigned organisations urge the Maltese authorities to comply with their international human rights obligations and implement the report’s recommendations without further delay to ensure effective protection of journalists going forward. We are concerned at the lack of implementation of the recommendations of this milestone Public Inquiry.

Today, 29 July, marks the one-year anniversary of the publication of the landmark Public Inquiry report into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, which was found to be both predictable and preventable. The Inquiry found ‘[T]he State should bear the responsibility for the assassination by creating a climate of impunity, generated from the highest levels at the core of the administration … and spreading its tentacles to other entities such as regulatory institutions and the Police.’¹ This, the Board found, led to the collapse of the rule of law; a failure to acknowledge the real and immediate risk to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s life; and a failure to take effective preventive measures to protect her.

In its report the Board of Inquiry made a number of key recommendations to restore the rule of law and avoid that an assassination like that of Daphne Caruana Galizia can ever happen again. The recommendations provided an historic opportunity for the Government of Malta to implement its international human rights obligations to create an enabling environment for journalism and to protect journalists.

The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation and Article 19 Europe publish a report today on the Public Inquiry including an evaluation of the implementation of its recommendations. It finds that to date, with minor exceptions, the Government of Malta has failed to implement these recommendations and has rejected proposals to implement anti-corruption legislation. The changes introduced so far are token gestures, rather than urgently needed, radical and effective change.

In particular, the Government has failed to implement the recommendation to introduce laws tackling financial crime and corruption. Notwithstanding the changes made to the appointment of the Attorney General and Police Commissioner as part of the recommendations of the Venice Commission, serious concerns prevail that the Malta Police and the Office of the Attorney General still fail to truly initiate investigations and carry out effective prosecutions on the trails of corruption leading to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, as well as on related scandals that emerged post her death, alongside ongoing magisterial inquiries.

The persistent lack of political will to prosecute corruption revealed by journalists, including Daphne Caruana Galizia, has been seriously criticised. The European Public Prosecutor (EPPO), the EU’s financial crime watchdog, Laura Kövesi, has questioned whether there is political will to tackle corruption commenting that, “Malta is paying lip service in its efforts to crack down on EU fraud and corruption.” Even where investigations have been initiated, the profound delays in prosecuting corruption, including in the Pilatus Bank scandal uncovered by Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2016, contribute to a context of impunity for corruption. The delay in implementing the Public Inquiry recommendations on anti-corruption are prejudicial to journalists who continue to report on the corruption which Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed for exposing and on other malfeasance and who remain at serious risk.

While some initiatives have been taken within the Maltese police force to establish a main contact point with journalists, much work remains to be done both in terms of training of the police on international standards as they relate to freedom of expression and in securing the trust of journalists. Offers of assistance in this regard from international media freedom organisations have gone unanswered.

A “Committee of Experts on Media” was announced on 11 January 2022 and tasked to provide Prime Minister Robert Abela with feedback on draft law reform proposals pertaining to freedom of expression and media freedom which the Prime Minister submitted to the Committee. The Terms of Reference for the Committee fail to require that the committee is independent, made up of individuals of demonstrable integrity and expertise, and that it should have cross-societal support. The lack of transparency and consultation with which the committee has operated since receiving its ToR poses a major concern to its legitimacy. The committee has not met with civil society, media or journalists nor the Caruana Galizia family. It has also refused to participate in conferences relating to media freedom in Malta. While it is understood that the Prime Minister was presented with the Committee’s advice on his draft legislation and that the Committee is continuing its work, the process it has opted to follow lacks transparency.

The Government of Malta has put forward two draft legal proposals for the committee to examine: one to “to amend the Constitution and various other laws to strengthen the right to freedom of expression and the right to privacy and to implement various measures for the protection of the media and of journalists”; and another “to provide for the establishment of structures for the protection of democratic society including the protection of journalists, other persons with a role in the media and in non-governmental organisations and persons in public life.” The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and ARTICLE 19 have analysed the proposals for their compliance with Malta’s obligations under international human rights standards and have made important recommendations to strengthen the proposals including to ensure better protection of journalists, the right to information and comprehensive protection for journalists against SLAPPs.

One year on from the publication of the Public Inquiry report and almost five years since the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, we urge the Government of Malta once again to live up to its international obligations and implement the recommendations of the Board’s report, along with those of the OSCE, Venice and GRECO Commissions, in a transparent manner without further delay and in full consultation with all stakeholders.

Signed by:

ARTICLE 19 Europe
Association of European Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
IFEX
International Press Institute (IPI)
PEN International
Reporters Without Borders

Hungary: Media freedom groups welcome EU court referral over…

Hungary: Media freedom groups welcome EU court referral over Klubrádió frequency

Together with media freedom and freedom of expression organisations, today MFRR partners welcome the European Commission’s decision to refer Hungary to the Court of Justice of the European Union over the February 2021 decision of the country’s Media Council to force independent broadcaster Klubrádió from the airwaves.

This decision by the EU’s executive body to take Hungary to court over the alleged breach in EU telecoms rules regarding Klubrádió’s frequency licence is a belated but important signal that the Commission is increasingly willing to use the tools available to it to defend independent media, freedom of expression and media pluralism where they are most threatened.

We believe this legal challenge goes to the core of democratic standards and EU values: the freedom of the press to criticise the government and provide independent reporting without undue interference from government or state regulatory bodies.

The Commission announced the continuation of infringement proceedings on July 15, stating that the Media Council’s decision to reject Klubrádió’s application for the use of the Budapest 92.9 MHz frequency was made on “highly questionable grounds” and had applied rules in a “disproportionate and discriminatory manner”. It added that the muzzling of the station “violated the freedom of speech as enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU”.

As our organisations have previously reported, Klubrádió was forced off air in February 2021 after the media regulator, which is filled with figures appointed solely by the ruling Fidesz party, rejected the extension over its alleged failure to comply with administrative requirements. The regulator then blocked the station’s attempt to re-secure the frequency it had broadcasted on for 20 years, gagging one the country’s last major critical broadcasters. While Klubrádió continues to broadcast online, it is currently operating as a radio station without a frequency, severely limiting its reach and influence.

Moving forward, we hope the Court of Justice of the European Union will carefully assess this case and find Hungary in violation of EU telecommunications law over the fair and non-discriminatory allocation of radio frequencies. This would then allow Klubrádió to seek a retrial at the Supreme Court over the Media Council’s original decision. However, this process is likely to be lengthy and there are concerns that in the end it may have little direct impact on Klubradio’s ability to restart broadcasting.

Ultimately, this case is bigger than one radio station. Over the last decade, as a result of a lack of appropriate legal safeguards for upholding the Media Council’s functional independence, the regulator has played a central role in the well documented and systematic erosion of media pluralism in Hungary. Concerns over this lack of independence were recently highlighted in the EU’s Rule of Law Report 2022. Klubrádió is one of several cases in which the frequency renewal process has been applied selectively at the expense of critical broadcasters.

This underscores the urgent need for the upcoming European Media Freedom Act to address developments contributing to media capture, including by helping enforce the functional independence of national media regulatory across the bloc.

Our organisations will continue to closely monitor the infringement proceedings in the coming months and will continue to sound the alarm over all future attacks on media pluralism and freedom in Hungary. We also continue to stand in solidarity with all independent journalists and media outlets in Hungary who continue to carry out their watchdog role in highly challenging conditions.

Signed by:

ARTICLE 19 Europe
AMARC Europe
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
IFEX
International Press Institute (IPI)
Media Diversity Institute
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)
Ossigeno.info
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Society of Journalists, Warsaw

Greece: Real Group media offices targeted in arson attack

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today join the Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN) in condemning the arson attack on the offices of newspaper Real News and the radio station Real FM in Athens on 13 July 2022.

13 July 2022

Our organisations call on the Greek law enforcement authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the motive and circumstances behind the fire and to bring the perpetrators and masterminds to justice. This case is yet another worrying example of the deteriorating press freedom in Greece, which requires immediate attention from state authorities.

On 13 July 2022, at 3:30am, at least four gas canisters exploded in the exterior stairwell of the offices of the Real Group headquarters in the Maroussi district of the capital. Three of the canisters had been taped together and placed with flammable liquid in the stairwell between the ground and first floors, while a fourth had been placed under the stairwell, according to reports.

Following the explosion, a fire broke out and damaged a large part of the building while employees working inside had to be evacuated. No major injuries were reported but a number of people were taken to hospital with respiratory problems. Photos and videos of large flames were shared on social media showing the extent of the fire, which was brought under control after 18 firefighters battled the blaze for two hours, according to media reports.

According to Real Group, surveillance cameras captured two masked individuals who were present at the scene shortly before the explosion. The authorities have not ruled out the possibility that a support group helped them and waited for the perpetrators at some distance from the building.

The Journalists’ union JUADN condemned the attack on press freedom and called for a transparent investigation: “When the media is set on fire, when the state cannot solve crimes against journalists and the media and bring perpetrators to justice, when groups aiming to intimidate, silence or control the media act without restraint, democracy is at risk.”

The situation of press freedom in Greece is of increasing concern to the MFRR organisations, which carried out a fact-finding mission last year amidst a deteriorating climate for free and independent journalism. Today, the European Commission echoed these significant concerns in its 2022 Rule of Law report on Greece and recommended that Greece “establish legislative and other safeguards to improve the physical safety and working environment of journalists”.

The quick condemnation of the attack by government officials, including Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is welcome and sends a clear signal that such intimidation will not be tolerated. However, this latest attack underscores the urgent need for the Greek government to effectively and swiftly implement the recently signed memorandum aimed at strengthening the protection and safety of journalists.

More widely, the lack of any tangible progress in bringing the killers of veteran Greek crime reporter Giorgos Karaivaz to justice only emboldens those aiming to silence the press and encourages similar attacks. Identifying and prosecuting those behind this arson attack, and ending impunity for other cases of violence, will be vital in the coming months for improving the landscape for media freedom in Greece.

Signed by:

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

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

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)

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.