Romania: Super election year calls for press freedom assessment

29 May 2024

A coalition of media freedom organisations will conduct a mission to Bucharest on 17-18 June 2024 to assess key challenges amid Romania’s super election year. The mission will address political influence on media, legal threats to journalists’ work and their safety, culminating in a conversation with the press.

Romanian translation here.

In Romania, European and local elections in early June will be followed by presidential and parliamentary elections in September and December respectively. In the midst of this super election year, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium will undertake a mission to Bucharest on 17-18 June 2024.

The mission will be jointly organised by the International Press Institute (IPI) and the Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), and will be joined by partners from the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), and Free Press Unlimited (FPU).

Following its online fact-finding phase involving meetings with media and civil society stakeholders, during the upcoming in-person mission, the MFRR delegation aims to meet with state authorities. The group will discuss with institutional stakeholders developments regarding a set of critical issues, highlighted in the consortium’s recent report on Romania’s media landscape.

First findings: A politically influenced, unsafe media environment

The MFRR consortium has identified the following key issues to tackle:

Media capture: The MFRR analysis identified severe political influence over Romanian media. Primarily, an opaque allocation of “media and propaganda” funds from state budgets to political parties foster a compliant and clientelist media environment. Additionally, the consortium noted with concern that the National Audiovisual Council, tasked with regulating media, is under-resourced and lacks political independence.
Legal threats: Journalists in Romania face an increasing number of vexatious lawsuits (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, known as SLAPPs), designed to intimidate and silence voices of dissent. Aside from draining the media’s resources, the MFRR warns about their chilling effect on journalistic freedom.
Safety concerns: The consortium has been monitoring a number of prominent cases of physical attacks, online harassment and smear campaigns targeting investigative journalists. Notable cases, such as that of investigative journalist Emilia Șercan, underscore the severity of these threats.

These topics are linked to key pieces of legislation that the European Union has recently adopted. The European Media Freedom Act aims to safeguard media independence and pluralism by tackling media capture, while the Anti-SLAPP Directive provides increased protections for journalists against vexatious lawsuits. Additionally, the European Commission adopted the Recommendation on the protection, safety and empowerment of journalists in September 2021. Two years later, the Council of Europe also launched the five-year Journalists Matter campaign, aiming to promote best practices among government and media stakeholders for improved journalist safety.

Our goals: Assess and address

Particularly during elections, journalists face intense political pressure and scrutiny for potential bias. Furthermore, an overall lack of public confidence is perhaps the biggest challenge Romanian media have to face. Yet, their role as public watchdogs is crucial for a fair electoral process. For this reason, the primary objectives of the upcoming MFRR mission are to:

Evaluate the impact of political interference and media capture on journalistic independence, including an evaluation of the effectiveness and independence of media regulatory bodies.
Investigate the prevalence and impact of SLAPPs and other forms of legal threats on Romanian journalists.
Address the safety and protection concerns of journalists facing threats and harassment.
Explore solutions, in dialogue and cooperation with relevant authorities, to support and sustain independent and local journalism in Romania.

Engagement and advocacy

The MFRR delegation will organise a conversation with the press on June 18, 2024, at 2PM in Bucharest, to present its initial observations and recommendations. An additional press release will be produced shortly after, in order to further detail the mission’s findings.

Press registration and contacts

Registration for the press event is open until June 17 at 12.00PM. To join the conversation, please fill out the registration form. To request a meeting with the delegation at a different time, and for more information about the mission, please contact us (stating your full name and media):

Beatrice Chioccioli

Advocacy Officer Europe
International Press Institute (IPI)
bchioccioli@ipi.media

+43 681 103 433 67

Sielke Beata Kelner, PhD

Researcher & Advocacy Officer

OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)

kelner@balcanicaucaso.org

This mission is part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism tracking, monitoring, and responding to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and candidate countries. The project is co-funded by the European Commission.

România: Anul super electoral impune o evaluare a libertății presei

Misiunea viitoare a consorțiului european pentru libertatea presei va evalua principalele provocări ale presei din România.

O coaliție de organizații pentru libertatea presei va efectua o misiune la București în perioada 17-18 iunie 2024 pentru a evalua principalele provocări în contextul anului super electoral din România. Misiunea va aborda influența politică asupra mass-mediei, amenințările legale la adresa activității jurnaliștilor și a siguranței acestora. O conversație cu presa va încheia activitățile coaliției.

În România, alegerile europene și locale de la începutul lunii iunie vor fi urmate de alegeri prezidențiale și parlamentare în septembrie și, respectiv, decembrie. În mijlocul acestui an super electoral, consorțiul Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) va întreprinde o misiune la București în perioada 17-18 iunie 2024.

Misiunea va fi organizată în comun de către International Press Institute (IPI) și Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), și va fi însoțită de parteneri de la European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) și Free Press Unlimited (FPU).

Misiunea delegației MFRR – precedată de o documentare online, care a inclus întâlniri cu mass-media și cu parteneri din societatea civilă – urmărește acum să se întâlnească cu autoritățile statului.. Grupul va discuta cu părțile interesate un set de aspecte critice, evidențiate în raportul recent al consorțiului privind peisajul mediatic din România.

Primele constatări: Un mediu mediatic incert și influențat politic

Consorțiul MFRR a identificat următoarele aspecte cheie care vor fi abordate pe parcursul misiunii :

Mass-media capturată politic: Analiza MFRR a identificat o influență politică severă asupra mass-mediei românești. În primul rând, o alocare opacă a fondurilor pentru „presă și propagandă” de la bugetul de stat către partidele politice favorizează un mediu jurnalistic conformist și clientelar. Mai mult, consorțiul a observat cu îngrijorare că Consiliul Național al Audiovizualului, care are sarcina de a reglementa mass-media, este lipsit de resurse și de independență politică.

Amenințări juridice: Jurnaliștii din România se confruntă cu un număr din ce în ce mai mare de procese vexatorii (procese strategice împotriva participării publice, cunoscute sub numele de SLAPP), menite să intimideze și să reducă la tăcere vocile disidente. Pe lângă faptul că astfel de procese epuizează resursele organizațiilor de presă, MFRR avertizează asupra efectului lor descurajator asupra libertății jurnalistice.
Preocupări legate de siguranță: Consorțiul a monitorizat o serie de cazuri proeminente de atacuri fizice, hărțuire online și campanii de defăimare care au vizat jurnaliștii de investigație. Cazuri notabile, precum cel al jurnalistei de investigație Emilia Șercan, subliniază gravitatea acestor amenințări.

Aceste subiecte sunt legate de acte legislative cheie pe care Uniunea Europeană le-a adoptat recent. Legea europeană privind libertatea mass-mediei are ca scop protejarea independenței și pluralismului presei prin abordarea capturării mass-media, în timp ce Directiva anti SLAPP oferă o protecție sporită pentru jurnaliști împotriva proceselor vexatorii.

În septembrie 2021, Comisia Europeană a adoptat o Recomandare privind protecția, siguranța și capacitarea jurnaliștilor. Doi ani mai târziu, Consiliul Europei a lansat, de asemenea, campania de cinci ani Journalists Matter, care vizează promovarea celor mai bune practici în rândul guvernelor și al părților interesate din domeniul mass-media pentru îmbunătățirea siguranței jurnaliștilor.

Obiectivele noastre: Să evaluăm și să răspundem la probleme

În special în timpul alegerilor, jurnaliștii se confruntă cu o presiune politică intensă și cu o examinare amănunțită a imparțialității presei. Mai mult, lipsa generală de încredere a publicului este poate cea mai mare provocare cu care se confruntă mass-media din România. Cu toate acestea, rolul lor de avertizori publici este esențial pentru un proces electoral corect. Din acest motiv, obiectivele principale ale viitoarei misiuni MFRR sunt următoarele:

Să evalueze impactul interferențelor politice și al capturii mediatice asupra independenței jurnalistice, inclusiv să evalueze eficiența și independența organismelor de reglementare a mass-media.
Să investigheze prevalența și impactul SLAPPs și a altor forme de amenințări legale asupra jurnaliștilor români.
Să abordeze preocupările legate de siguranța și protecția jurnaliștilor, care se confruntă cu amenințări și hărțuiri.
Să exploreze soluții, în dialog și cooperare cu autoritățile relevante, pentru a sprijini și susține jurnalismul independent din România.

Implicare și advocacy

Delegația MFRR va organiza o dezbatere cu presa pe 18 iunie 2024, la ora 14:00, la București, pentru a prezenta observațiile și recomandările sale inițiale. Un comunicat de presă va fi publicat la scurt timp după aceea, pentru a detalia în continuare concluziile misiunii.

Informații pentru presă

Înregistrarea la evenimentul de presă este deschisă până la 17 iunie, ora 24.00. Pentru a participa la dezbatere, vă rugăm să completați formularul de înregistrare.

Pentru a solicita o întâlnire cu delegația la o altă oră și pentru mai multe informații despre misiune, vă rugăm să ne contactați (menționând numele și prenumele dvs. și numele instituției mass-media pe care o reprezentați):

Beatrice Chioccioli

Ofițer de advocacy pentru Europa

International Press Institute (IPI)

bchioccioli@ipi.media

+43 681 103 433 67

Sielke Beata Kelner, PhD

Cercetător și ofițer de advocacy

OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)

kelner@balcanicaucaso.org

Această misiune este parte a MFRR (Media Freedom Rapid Response), un mecanism la nivel european de urmărire, monitorizare și răspuns la încălcările libertății presei și a mass-media în statele membre ale UE și în țările candidate. Proiectul este cofinanțat de Comisia Europeană.

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Urgent action needed to address the financial deadlock facing…

Urgent action needed to address the financial deadlock facing Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina

27 May 2024

Today the partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) express concern at the critical financial situation facing Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT).

Dear Mr. Denis Zvizdić, First Deputy of Chairman, House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Dear Mr. Mladen Bošković, Vice President of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Dear Mr. Elmedin Konaković, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Dear Mr. Edin Forto, Minister of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Dear Mr. Nermin Nikšić, Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Dear Mr. Radovan Višković, President of the Government of Republika Srpska;

We would like to urgently bring to your attention the critical financial situation facing Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is a direct result of the failure to implement the law on the Public Broadcasting System of Bosnia and Herzegovina, leaving the broadcasters in perpetual conflict and in a dire financial situation. The long-standing financial dispute between the National Public Broadcaster (BHRT) and the Federation Public Broadcaster of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FTV) is leading to an unprecedented media blackout ordered by the BHRT management and creating dramatic working conditions.

The financial situation of Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina is very serious and this broadcaster risks being shut down if there is no agreement on how to distribute the RTV tax. Unfortunately, we still have no information on if and when this issue will be resolved. In Republika Srpska, Radio Television of Republika Srpska (RTRS) is collecting the monthly licence fee through JP Pošta RS and illegally since 2017 RTRS has not transferred more than 80 million BAM (40 million EUR ) that BHRT should have received. This is also contributing to the dire financial situation of BHRT.

As a result of the financial impasse, most FTV programmes were replaced by a test signal at 6 am on 8 May. The signal to FTV was reactivated a day later following the order of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo, which threatened BHRT with a fine. The situation keeps worsening and as of 27 May 2024, BHRT will cancel fifteen programmes, while others will be shortened.

On 28 May 2024, it will be 50 days since the last time public service employees in Bosnia and Herzegovina received their last salary. Otherwise, more than 60 per cent of the 750 employees have a salary of less than 400 euros, which is not enough to live on. If salaries and arrears to employees are not paid by 1 June 2024, the continuation of broadcasting will be put in jeopardy, including events of high public interest that only the public service of Bosnia and Herzegovina can cover.

As the Independent Union of Workers of BHRT has exhausted all means of negotiation, it will hold a warning protest on 28 May, announcing the next steps prescribed by law: a warning strike and a general strike.

We would like to recall that sustainable financing of public services is a prerequisite for the country’s accession to the European Union, in line with the newly adopted European Media Freedom Act. The problematic situation in which the workers find themselves is the result of the inaction of the current and previous political authorities, which have failed to ensure stable funding and functioning of the Public Broadcasting Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina and to implement the existing law.

We reiterate our appeal to the authorities to support the BHRT journalists and employees, and to find a sustainable solution to ensure that public broadcasters receive sufficient funding to operate normally and not undermine citizens’ right to freedom of information. It is the responsibility of the state to ensure the implementation of a legal framework that protects the independence of the media and safeguards their public service mission.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We remain at your disposal for any further information.

Sincerely,

Borka Rudić, General Secretary of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Journalists’ Association

(BHJA)

Ricardo Gutiérrez, General Secretary of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

Ruth Kronenburg, Executive Director, Free Press Unlimited (FPU)

Oliver Vujovic, Secretary General, South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)

Frane Maroević, Executive Director, International Press Institute (IPI)

Andreas Lamm, Interim Managing Director, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

Joanna Szymańska, Acting Head of Europe Office, ARTICLE 19

Luisa Chiodi, Director, Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa

Antoinette Nikolova, Director of Balkan Free Media Initiative (BFMI)

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

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Two decades of impunity in case of murder of…

SafeJournalists and MFRR Condemn Two Decades of Impunity in Case of murder of Duško Jovanović

On the 20th anniversary of the murder of Montenegrin journalist Duško Jovanović, the SafeJournalists Network and partners in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) call for stronger action from the authorities.

Media freedom organisations jointly condemn the two decades of impunity in the case of the murder of journalist Duško Jovanović and urge the Montenegrin authorities, both political representatives and relevant bodies, to take all necessary measures to identify and bring the perpetrators and masterminds to justice.

Duško Jovanović was the founder, director, and chief editor of the daily newspaper “Dan,” one of the first private newspapers in Montenegro. He was killed in front of his newspaper’s office on May 27, 2004. For this gravest crime in the history of Montenegrin journalism, only one accomplice has been convicted, who will soon be free as he has nearly served his multi-year prison sentence.

According to relevant domestic and international media organizations, the years-long investigation was conducted poorly and ineffectively, with numerous recorded oversights for which no one has been held accountable. Despite announcements from the highest Montenegrin officials in recent years that progress in the investigation could be expected, none has been made, or at least the public has not been informed. For this reason, we justifiably fear that this could remain one of the key unsolved cases, sending a devastating message about the media and socio-political landscape in Montenegro, that crimes against journalists are allowed to go unpunished. Therefore, it is essential that the state of Montenegro takes decisive steps towards justice as the family and colleagues of the late Jovanović, as well as the entire public, have been waiting too long.

In addition to Jovanović’s murder, over the past two decades, more than 100 cases of attacks on journalists and media property have been recorded in Montenegro, many of which remain unresolved, with some even having reached the statute of limitations. Hence, more decisive action by Montenegrin state authorities is needed to ensure the safety of journalists and resolve these cases.

We strongly urge the Montenegrin authorities to take immediate and concrete steps to address and resolve this most severe case in Montenegrin history. The time for action is now—swift and decisive measures are essential to ensure justice and restore public trust, and to show that crimes against journalists are not permitted.

Signed by:

SafeJournalists Network

Association of Journalists of Kosovo

Association of Journalists of Macedonia

BH Journalists Association

Croatian Journalists’ Association

Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia

Trade Union of Media of Montenegro

Media Freedom Rapid Response

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

Free Press Unlimited (FPU)

International Press Institute (IPI)

OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)

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

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Death threats to editorial of weekly magazine Nacional in…

Death threats to editorial of weekly magazine Nacional in Croatia

The editorial office of the weekly magazine Nacional received death threats in an SMS message on Monday, 20 May 2024. The SafeJournalists Network and The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners are calling on the relevant institutions in Croatia to immediately respond, find, and prosecute the perpetrator.

The message sent to Nacional’s official phone contained the following text: “You and those like you carried out the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Fico by writing half-truths, lies, and inciting against people who are doing their jobs just to make money. Your triple informant paid for it with his life, and soon all the editors of the ‘axis of evil’ will too. We are waiting for the moment to catch as many of you together as possible so that we don’t waste explosives on just one scavenger. The surviving vultures will start writing the truth and only the truth, not lying, inventing, and writing in order just to collect money. We are watching you, and getting more than two will be a success, so write your wills….”

The Nacional editorial staff immediately reported the threat to the police and informed the Minister of the Interior, Davor Božinović. This threat is particularly alarming as it echoes the tragic story of Nacional’s owner and editor, Ivo Pukanić, and marketing director, Niko Franjić, who were killed in a bomb attack in Zagreb on 23 October 2008. “This threat is serious. You mentioned explosives. It is impossible not to think of our colleagues who were killed in a bomb assassination described by the state attorney as the most violent attack in modern Croatian history. But we will not let the threats affect our work,” editor-in-chief Berislav Jelinić told the EFJ. Jelinić has been under police protection for five years, from 2008 to 2013 due to threats linked with the tobacco mafia linked with the killing of his colleagues in 2008. He has even been the target of two assassination attempts. The threat of death, already worrying, takes on an even more frightening dimension in this highly charged context.

Hrvoje Zovko, president of the Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA), stated: “For the Croatian Journalists’ Association, this is a direct threat not only to the safety of our colleagues from Nacional, whom we support but also a direct attack on media freedom. I will just remind you that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, a little over a month ago, dangerously labeled several media outlets, including Nacional, as the ‘axis of evil.’ I also remind you of the open threats from the leaders of the “Domovinski pokret” directed at the editorial office of the weekly Novosti and the entire journalistic community, practically marking the media as enemies of the state,” Zovko emphasized.

The SafeJournalists network and MFRR partners are calling on the relevant institutions in Croatia to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrator of the death threat to justice. Such incidents represent a serious attack on media freedom and further endanger the safety of journalists working in increasingly difficult conditions daily. It is necessary to ensure that all journalists can do their jobs without fear of violence and threats, and it is therefore crucial that the relevant institutions demonstrate determination in protecting media freedoms. Organisations also call on authorities to stop targeting the media, as their inflammatory rhetoric encourages individuals and groups to threaten journalists.

We call on the authorities to provide meaningful support to journalists’ safety.

Signed by:

SafeJournalists Network

Association of Journalists of Kosovo

Association of Journalists of Macedonia

BH Journalists Association

Croatian Journalists’ Association

Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia

Trade Union of Media of Montenegro

Media Freedom Rapid Response

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

International Press Institute (IPI)

Free Press Unlimited (FPU)

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BiH: Authorities must urgently break the deadlock facing public…

BiH: Authorities must urgently break the deadlock facing public broadcasters and solve the financial problems

Following the temporary interruption of the TV and radio programs of the RTV Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 8 May 2024, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners denounce the irresponsible political management that created the crisis and led to direct violation of citizens’ right to freedom of information.

The long-standing financial dispute between the national public broadcaster (BHRT) and the federal public channel of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FTV), two of the three public service media in the country, led to an unprecedented media blackout ordered by the BHRT management board. As a result, most of the programmes were replaced by a test signal at 6 am on 8 May. The signal to FTV was reactivated a day later following the order of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo, which threatened BHRT with a fine.

On 15 May, the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued an order to investigate the responsibility of the Steering Committee members of the Public Radio and Television System of BiH (BHRT, RTV FBIH, RTRS) whose twelve members are appointed by the entity parliaments and the Parliament of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

“Most of the problems faced today by BHRT and RTV FBiH arise precisely from the fact that the Law on Public Broadcasting System, adopted in 2005 and amended several times in the past period, has never been fully implemented in practice, nor is it respected,” said the BH Journalists Association, which denounced a huge lack of political will to solve the situation.

That system was additionally violated in 2017 by the unilateral decision of the RTRS, the radio television of the Republika Srpska, one of the two entities, not to respect the current law on the distribution of RTV fees, and the continuation of the dispute between two broadcasters in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“We hope that the investigation by the BiH Prosecutor’s Office will be an additional signal to the Steering Committee members of the three public broadcasters to urgently return to the key legal provisions on the method of collecting and distributing the RTV fee”, added the journalists’ association.

A MFRR mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina conducted in October 2023 warned that the very existence of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s public service media was at stake if the perennial crisis was not urgently resolved. The situation deteriorated further in December 2023, when the only source of income of BHRT had not been collected after a contract dispute with BHRT management. Bosnia and Herzegovina was on the verge of becoming the only European country without a public broadcaster, potentially leaving 800 employees with no job.

While in March 2024 the European Council agreed to open accession negotiations, Bosnia and Herzegovina has yet to improve its environment for the media to continue on its path towards the European Union, as the European Commission pointed out a “backsliding” in media freedom in its report published in November 2023. In particular, the BH Journalists Association has long denounced the dire working conditions for the journalists working in the two public services, their poor labour rights, low salaries and dilapidated state of their equipment.

The MFRR partners urge the competent authorities to find a sustainable solution in order to provide the public broadcasters with sufficient funding to operate normally, as well as the implementation of a legal framework that protects their independence and guarantees their public service mission. A sustainable financing of public services is a prerequisite for the country’s accession to the European Union, in line with the newly adopted European Media Freedom Act. The undersigned organisations also expect the investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office to shed light on the financial management of recent years and to find those responsible for the systematic obstruction of the Law on public radio and television system for almost two decades.

Signed by:

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

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Ukraine: MFRR partners highlight ongoing press freedom issues

MFRR partners today highlight ongoing press freedom concerns in Ukraine, over two years following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. While Ukraine was at first quick to unite in the face of armed aggression, setting aside internal conflicts and arguments, the climate of trust between officials and independent media seems to have seriously deteriorated, two years on

Repeated surveillance of journalists

In comparison to neighboring Russia and Belarus, Ukraine has long been a haven for independent media, offering local journalists the opportunity to criticize power without fear of retribution. However, a shadow was cast on this image, when in recent months a worrying phenomenon of government surveillance of journalists re-emerged.

According to media reports, this surveillance has recently been carried out mostly by the Security Service of Ukraine, known locally as SBU. In January, journalists at investigative outlet Bihus.Info were intimidated by the publication of video and audio recordings showing some of the outlet’s camera operators consuming cannabis, amphetamine and other illegal drugs.

Later revelations by the outlet seemed to point to the incident being part of a wider surveillance operation targeting Bihus.Info, in the course of which SBU operatives would have hacked access to video cameras, as well as sent officials to follow journalists at the outlet.

In a separate incident, a group of unknown individuals attempted to intimidate investigative journalist Yuri Nikolov by banging on the door of his apartment and demanding his drafting into the army. It was unclear who had sent the individuals to Nikolov’s apartment and how they had obtained the reporter’s address.

In April, the SBU again appeared to be responsible for the surveillance of a journalist. This time, Yevheny Shulhat from Slidstvo.Info was targeted. Just a few days before the reporter published an investigation into alleged corruption by a high-level SBU official, military officers tracked him down at a supermarket near his home and attempted to draft him.

The incidents were not left unanswered by the authorities. In both the case of Shulhat and of Bihus.Info, the SBU officials allegedly responsible for organizing the journalists’ surveillance were swiftly removed from their positions, while competent authorities opened investigations.

However, efforts cannot stop here: systemic safeguards must be established to prevent SBU and other officials from targeting journalists or other critics in retaliation for their work, all while protecting journalists who report on possible misconduct or crimes by SBU and other officials. If this is not done, Ukraine risks following a pattern of state-sponsored intimidation and harassment of investigative journalists.

United news policy

In Ukraine, six of the country’s main television channels continue to conduct common, 24/7 news broadcasts, as part of an initiative called the “united news telethon”. Each channel is responsible for producing content for a given time slot, with all remaining channels broadcasting the content of the station occupying the slot.

While this initiative was initially hailed as an effort by Ukrainian media to produce common news broadcasts in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the format of these broadcasts has remained largely unchanged over the past two years, contributing to making them increasingly irrelevant, uninformative and unpopular, according to opinion polls conducted in Ukraine.

The fact that several of Ukraine’s main television channels continue to conduct common news broadcasts, 24 hours a day, seriously lowers the quantity and quality of information received by Ukrainian viewers. As a result, data has shown that the telethon’s viewership has notably fallen over the past year, and that Ukrainians have turned to anonymous Telegram channels to read what is perceived as “real” news.

The sources used by anonymous Telegram channels are often impossible to determine, as are their sponsors. This move away from the media creates a serious danger to Ukraine’s informational security, as the political agenda of anonymous channels normally remains unknown. In addition, Telegram has comparatively loose policies on hate speech and other problematic and manipulative content.

For this reason, we call upon Ukrainian authorities to seriously reconsider the format of the “united news telethon” and consider closing this project altogether, as an inefficient target of resources detrimental to Ukraine’s informational security and media diversity in the country

Frontline accreditation

As in any war, it is essential to both ensure that Ukrainian journalists can deliver accurate and timely information to the public and to create conditions that minimize risks to their safety. In this context, MFRR is concerned with the current system of frontline accreditation for journalists, and in particular the “traffic light” system under which regional army commands have the power to decide on which areas form part of which zones, establishing “red”, “yellow” and “green” zones with varying degrees of permitted access.

While a recent reform did away with the most stringent restrictions, we believe that this positive change can only be a first step in making regulations more adapted to the reality of the work of war correspondents.

The current “traffic light” system is inappropriate for several reasons. Firstly, it is not possible to update access zones swiftly enough in response to changing conditions on the ground. As a result, journalists risk being let into areas not safe enough or are prevented from entering areas where the safety situation has improved but are still under a “red” designation.

Additionally, anonymous reports by Ukrainian journalists show that military commanders on the ground regularly disregard official red zones, or impose additional restrictions on the work of journalists not required by national regulations. This is mainly related to restrictions on filming, as well as on interviewing soldiers, with many of these cases being overly restrictive.

While we again acknowledge and are grateful for the Ukrainian authorities’ commitment to protecting journalist safety, we believe in a need for a discussion about a return to more flexible arrangements for journalists’ access to the frontline, for instance by instead formulating general recommendations to local-level commanders on the conditions under which journalists should be allowed access to combat zones.

While great care must be applied when formulating these new regulations, we believe this more flexible system would in the end create safer and equal conditions for journalists, while also ensuring that journalists can continue to provide accurate and timely news to the Ukrainian public.

MFRR partners continue to stand with Ukraine, and Ukrainian journalists in particular, in their resistance to Russia’s war of aggression. Recommendations made to Ukrainian authorities are made based on the premise that they will help Ukraine in building a democratic society respectful of media freedom, which ultimately will contribute to Ukrainian victory.

Signed by:

International Press Institute (IPI)
Article 19 Europe
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

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Serbia: MFRR partners demand Belgrade court set Belarusian journalist…

Serbia: MFRR partners demand Belgrade court set Belarusian journalist free

Andrey Gniot at risk of deportation under politically motivated charges

The undersigned partner organizations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) demand the immediate release of Andrey Gniot, a Belarusian journalist and pro-democracy activist who is being held in custody by Serbian authorities on politically motivated charges formulated by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko. Since October, Serbian courts have been deliberating upon a request to deport Gniot to Belarus.

According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), an independent trade union in exile, Gniot was arrested immediately upon his arrival to Serbia on October 30. He was detained based on an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol upon request by authorities in Belarus on alleged tax evasion charges. After a first appeal, the High Court of Belgrade is currently deliberating on whether the conditions for Gniot’s extradition to Belarus have been met.

The journalist first left his home country in 2021 after receiving “signals” that authorities were aware of his activism, which he had not made public out of fear of reprisal, according to reports by independent Belarusian media. After first moving to Thailand, the journalist flew for work to Serbia, a country which remains a major hub for exiled Belarusians and Russians, as it is one of the few in Europe which they can enter without a visa. He was unaware that an international arrest warrant had been issued against him.

Activism and journalistic activity in Belarus

Gniot is mainly known for his activities as a director of music and TV commercials, as well as a journalist and political activist. He is one of the founders of SOS BY, an independent union of Belarusian sportspeople, which reportedly contributed to the canceling of the 2021 Hockey World Cup in Belarus. The decision was made months before the event and was motivated in part by ongoing human rights abuses perpetrated by authorities in the wake of the 2020-21 mass protest movement against Lukashenko. SOS BY was later designated as an “extremist formation” by the Belarusian KGB, which made it possible to sentence its members to lengthy prison terms. In addition, Gniot’s decision to leave Belarus was due in part to his contributions for Prague-based broadcaster RFE/RL, as he was concerned about the risk of arbitrary detention in retaliation for his journalistic work.

While Gniot is formally accused of tax evasion, he claims that he was never notified of these charges throughout the years during which he would have violated Belarusian tax laws. Tax evasion, as well as other charges, were also earlier used to incriminate Maryna Zolatava and Lyudmila Chekina, respectively the editor-in-chief and director general of Tut.by. The website used to be Belarus’ most popular independent online outlet before its forced closure by authorities in 2021.

In addition, Gniot’s lawyers reported that authorities in Minsk accused him based on a law adopted in 2019, while the charges are related to Gniot’s activities between 2012 and 2018.

Risk of political persecution in Belarus

Belarus remains Europe’s biggest jailer of journalists, with 36 media workers currently behind bars according to BAJ. The country of nine million also has the highest rate of imprisoned journalists per capita in the world.

Independent media are in practice fully banned at the national level, and independent journalists have been forced to go into exile, as staying in Belarus exposed them to inevitable repression due to current and past activities.

Since 2020, authorities have labelled thousands of media outlets, website pages, social media accounts and other online content as various forms of “extremism”: as a result, journalists and readers alike face fines and prison terms for any interactions, current or past, with independent outlets designated as such. Security forces are known for regular detentions of Belarusian journalists and independent media consumers for past activities, with the first group receiving prison or other sentences restricting their liberty, while the second are typically forced to record videos “confessing” their “extremism” before serving short-term prison terms (typically up to 15 days).

Given the likelihood of politically motivated repression in Belarus, we urge the High Court of Belgrade, which is currently handling Gniot’s case, to pronounce a decision in favour of his immediate release, as well as for competent authorities in Serbia to not appeal such a decision.

Serbian authorities should take into account the unimaginable scale of repression of independent media in Belarus, and the fact that Belarusian authorities have weaponized tax evasion charges to take revenge on a journalist for his past successful activism against human rights abuses. Gniot’s deportation to Belarus would expose him to arbitrary detention and imprisonment, as well as inhumane treatment and torture while in custody.

Andrey must be set free and allowed to continue his professional activities in the country of his choice.

Signed by:

International Press Institute (IPI)
Article 19 Europe
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)

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WPFD 2024: Media freedom groups sound the alarm over…

WPFD 2024: Media freedom groups sound the alarm over press freedom in Europe

On World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2024, the partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) stand in solidarity with media workers everywhere and draw attention to the deteriorating press freedom situation in Europe. Since WPFD 2023, the MFRR partners have documented more than 1,000 media freedom violations affecting over 1,500 journalists or media entities in European Union Member States and candidate countries.

As the year progressed, the MFRR witnessed physical attacks, harassment online and offline, the continued use of vexatious lawsuits to stifle critical reporting, further pressure on sustainable revenue streams for independent media, government attempts to muzzle public media, and tragically the killing of yet another journalist in the line of their work; Arman Soldin in Ukraine.

We have also seen ongoing impunity for crimes against journalists, including stalled progress in investigating the murder of Giorgos Karaivaz, the overturning of convictions for the killers of Slavko Ćuruvija, and the forced departures of the special prosecutors in the case of Ján Kuciak.

Online attacks have risen once again and now make up 25% of all incidents recorded by MFRR partners on the Mapping Media Freedom platform. In addition to this, many countries are seeing the growth of coordinated smear campaigns and discrediting of journalists, particularly around election periods, often led by political groups seeking to silence journalists.

Elsewhere, EU Member States including France, Germany, and Hungary have all played host to a range of digital attacks against media workers, as well as ongoing spyware and surveillance scandals and a surge in hacking and DDoS attacks, which have more than doubled in the last year.

As Europe moves further into a crucial election year, the need for independent, public interest journalism has never been more important and the pressure on journalists has never been more intense. Journalists must be able to operate and report free of pressure and intimidation, to scrutinise political campaigns and records in office, and to help provide the public with the information necessary to make informed democratic choices. Policy makers must ensure a free and pluralistic media landscape, without which the democratic process is fatally compromised.

Moreover, the election results can also have a profound impact on media freedom. The contrasting fortunes of journalism following elections in Poland and Slovakia set out the risks and opportunities at stake. In Poland, a reforming government has helped end the eight years of political stranglehold of the governing party over public media TVP. While in Slovakia, a new era of intimidation and pressure on private and public media has just begun.

Significantly, Europe’s policy makers have made notable progress in developing instruments to address elements of the crisis. The recent adoption of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), the European Anti-SLAPP Directive, and the Council of Europe Recommendation on countering the use of SLAPPs all provide Europe-wide legislative protection for media freedom. The Anti-SLAPP Directive provides significant safeguards for journalists faced with vexatious lawsuits while the EMFA seeks to stall the spread of media capture by protecting media pluralism, editorial independence, and the independence of public media.

To mark WPFD, the MFRR also calls on European governments and media stakeholders to get behind the Council of Europe’s “Journalists Matter” campaign and to build national responses to the safety crisis facing journalists.

Since 2020, the MFRR has supported 228 cases of journalists at risk, ranging from replacing damaged equipment and covering medical expenses, to paying for psychosocial support and living or relocation costs. On World Press Freedom Day, we stand in solidarity with journalists and media workers everywhere and reaffirm our commitment to defending press freedom in EU Member States and candidate countries.

More information about MFRR support offerings for journalists can be found here.

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)

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Slovakia: Independence of Slovakia’s leading TV news channel must…

Slovakia: Independence of Slovakia’s leading TV news channel must be protected

The undersigned members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response are deeply alarmed by the actions of the Slovak government towards Slovakia’s leading commercial broadcaster, TV Markíza, aimed at silencing its critical journalism. We call on Markíza’s owners, the Central European Media Enterprises (CME), to resist the pressure and guarantee the editorial independence of the newsroom.

TV Markiza has been under pressure from the moment the new government was formed in September 2023. Prime Minister Róbert Fico accused it last November of being part of the “enemy media” and quickly threatened to cut contracts for state advertising, which Markíza broadcasts.

In December, Markíza’s owners, the Prague-based Central European Media Enterprises (CME), replaced Markíza’s long-time news director, Henrich Krejča, with Michal Kratochvíl, transferred from CME’s Czech broadcaster, Nova TV.

On February 28, Markíza staff appealed to the general director, Peter Gažík, claiming Kratochvil was muzzling the news output to reduce political content and avoid confronting the government.

The commercial media outlet, TV Markíza was launched in 1996 and quickly became a key player in the country’s media landscape. Its news programming has been particularly influential, with its coverage often setting the agenda for public discourse. In the summer 2023, SMER, the ruling party, announced that its politicians would not take part in pre-election debates on this TV station, due to “disinformation.” Many politicians of the current Fico-led government boycott the channel and threatened it with cuts to state advertisement, increasing the pressure on the newsroom. Meanwhile, there is growing speculation that CEM is under pressure to sell Markíza.

The internal crisis at TV Markíza is taking place at the same time as the government attempts to take control over public service media by dissolving Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS) and replacing it with Slovak Television and Radio (STaR).

MFRR partners previously expressed profound concerns over these developments, emphasizing the need to uphold democratic values and protect press freedom in Slovakia. Our previous calls for the withdrawal of the repressive broadcast law and opposition to government interference in public media underscore the gravity of the situation.

We call upon Prime Minister Róbert Fico and his government to cease all attacks, threats, and pressure on independent media, including TV Markíza. Critical media are not the “enemy”. They are a pillar of a democratic society and must be allowed to carry out their watchdog role free from retaliation in any form.

In this critical moment, the organizations of the MFRR stand in solidarity with TV Markíza journalists in their calls to defend the outlet’s independent journalism. We urge TV Markíza’s owners (the Central European Media Enterprises – CME) and management to resist external pressures and guarantee editorial independence in the newsroom. They must act decisively to uphold the public’s right to access diverse and independent sources of information.

Additionally, we call upon Slovak authorities, regulators, and the country’s newly elected president Peter Pellegrini to uphold media freedom, media pluralism, and allow the media to work free from political pressure. The integrity of the upcoming European elections and the credibility of Slovak democracy depend on it.

Signed by:

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

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Call for withdrawal of Slovakia’s repressive broadcast law

Journalists and media freedom groups call for the urgent withdrawal of a proposed legislation allowing political control over public-service media in Slovakia. The bill threatens independent information, especially before the June European Parliament elections, contradicting the recently voted EU’s Media Freedom Act.

On March 11, the Slovak government announced a plan to dissolve Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS) and replace it with the new Slovak Television and Radio (STaR). The Ministry of Culture’s draft law includes drastic changes to the appointment and competence of oversight bodies, which would set up a government control and effectively end the public broadcaster’s independence.

Upon the passing of the law, the ruling majority of Prime Minister Robert Fico will replace the Director General of the public media and the members of its oversight body ahead of the previous legal end of their mandates.

The new Director-General will be appointed by the new Board of STaR, which will consist of seven members, four appointed by the Parliament, three by the Ministry of Culture, effectively handing the governing parties full control over the Board and the appointment of the Director General. The Board also receives the new power of being able to dismiss the Director without having to provide any grounds, although the ruling coalition has since said they will remove this element following criticism.

Moreover, an entirely new institution, the Programme Council, is to be formed in order to coordinate STaR’s programming and ensure its “compliance with the public nature of broadcasting.” Nine out of eleven members of this body will be appointed by Parliament and enable direct political control over editorial policy.

The Act on Slovak Television and Radio (STaR) is being rushed through parliament via an abbreviated inter-ministerial and public consultation procedure until March 19. On March 17 Prime Minister Robert Fico called on the Parliament to approve the law in an accelerated legislative procedure starting in April. The bill could hence be approved before the elections to the European Parliament taking place on 8 June.

Opposition to the government’s power grab over the public broadcaster is mounting. By March 18, over 1,200 RTVS employees and external collaborators had signed a petition urging the withdrawal of the draft law. The following day, almost three hundred Slovak editors and journalists signed a joint statement denouncing the law, and expressing solidarity with RTVS.

Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová joined the critics, saying that the law is likely to violate the principles of free political contest and the prohibition against censorship, as well as being “in direct contradiction with the new European Media Freedom Act” which lays down strict safeguards on the independence of public service media.

The bill also goes against the European Commission’s 2023 Rule of Law Report which called on Slovakia to “enhance the independent governance and editorial independence of public service media.”

We welcome the statements of European Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová expressing her concerns during the European Parliament debate before the adoption of the European Media Freedom Act on March 12, and later stating that it may lead to the end of independent reporting by public media in Slovakia.

The undersigned media freedom organisations condemn the Slovak Television and Radio bill. We are deeply concerned that this bill is designed to enable the political take-over of RTVS and its conversion into a state propaganda outlet in the service of the government. We call on the Minister of Culture to immediately withdraw the bill.

In a joint open letter, we further call on the institutions of the European Union to urgently address this threat to press freedom at the heart of Europe. The political control of public media threatens the integrity of the upcoming European elections by politicising political coverage of the campaigns and denying the public to independent and pluralistic sources of information.