02. 05. 2014

EFJ: EUROPE MUST BE AGAINST THREATS TO MEDIA FREEDOM

2.5.2014. (European Federation of Journalists - EFJ, NUNS) - On the occasion of this year's World Press Freedom Day, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today urged European policy makers and national governments to make greater efforts to guarantee media freedom and the promotion of media pluralism, and in particular to confront the troubling trend of erosion of media freedom in Europe.

EFJ reminds all candidates for European elections to be held from 22 to 25 May that they should not be complacent regarding the state of media freedom in Europe.

"Media freedom is in danger. During the past few years, attacks are more frequent against the professional rights of journalists, whether in the Ukraine, Turkey, or the UK," said EFJ President Mogens Blicher Bjerregaard.

In Ukraine, journalists were among the first victims of the political crisis. Since November 2013, approximately 200 journalists were physically attacked and journalist Vyacheslav Veremeeva was killed while reporting on the crisis. There have been many cases of intimidation, confiscation of equipment, detention, and kidnapping of journalists.

In Turkey, 40 journalists are in jail solely because of their work. Four of them - Fusun Erdogan, Ziya Ulusoy, Bayram Namaz, and Ibrahim Çiçek - were sentenced to life in prison. Many journalists have faced police violence while reporting.

In the UK, investigative journalism and the right of journalists to protect their sources are threatened by laws on national security and terrorism. The arrest of David Miranda, and destruction of documents in possession of the Guardian suggest high risks from these threats.

In Greece and Spain, the closing and drastic cuts in public broadcasting services ERT, TV Valencia, and TeleMadrid jeopardize the livelihoods of thousands of journalists, but also of media pluralism.

In Macedonia, journalist Tomislav Kezarovski is still under house arrest after being sentenced to four years in prison. His verdict and the draconian media law have produced fear and self-censorship.

In other European countries journalists also face worsening of labor rights and work conditions, which decreases the quality of journalism and the public trust in media. Across Europe (self) censorship is growing as a result of political and economic pressures against journalists and media, according to today's announcement of the European Federation of Journalists.