Allgemein

Assessing Hungary’s foreign funding bill

Assessing Hungary’s foreign funding bill

26 May, 14:00 CET.

On May 13, the Fidesz party of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán presented a draft of a new foreign funding bill which represents the most serious attack on Hungarian media in years and is the latest step in a more than decade-long campaign by the government to stigmatise independent journalism, undermine its business model and systematically erode media pluralism.

 

If passed, this legislation would effectively represent the first foreign agent-style law in the European Union, marking another milestone in Hungary’s democratic decline and deepening the crackdown in what has long been the EU’s worst country for media freedom.

 

Hungary has already developed the most advanced model of media capture in the EU, using a wide range of tools to capture public media and regulatory bodies, punish government critics, and silence independent voices. The Sovereignty Protection Office, established in late 2023, has conducted smear campaigns against leading independent investigative outlets.

 

Now, with the newly proposed law, which includes heavy sanctions and poses a severe threat to the viability of independent media, how can Hungary’s free press survive?

 

Join us on 26 May at 14.00 CET for a briefing from renowned Hungarian journalists and media experts to examine the proposed law in detail, explore its likely impact on Hungary’s embattled independent media, and hear how journalists are preparing to fight back. 

 

In this one hour session, we will analyse the bill’s implications for media funding, its role in accelerating democratic backsliding, the economic challenges it poses, and what journalistic solidarity means in the climate of fear and uncertainty. We will also discuss the role the EU should play in countering Hungary’s crackdown on press freedom, ahead of an EU Council debate on the rule of law in Hungary on May 27.

Moderator

Jamie Wiseman

Europe Advocacy Officer at International Press Institute (IPI) 

Speakers

Eva Bognar

Coordinating Director at Mediaforum Association 

Marton Karpati

CEO at Telex.hu

Andras Petho

Co-founder and Director of Direkt36

Veronika Munk

Director of Innovation and New Markets at Dennik N

Allgemein

Hungary: Foreign funding bill poses most serious threat to…

Hungary: Foreign funding bill poses most serious threat to independent media in years

A newly introduced bill which would allow for the blacklisting, financial restriction and potential closure of media outlets and civil society organisations receiving foreign funds poses a severe threat to independent journalism and press freedom and should be immediately challenged under EU law, the undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) said today.

16 May 2025

Draft legislation submitted on May 13 by the Fidesz party of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán represents the most serious attack on Hungarian media in years and is the latest step in a more than decade-long campaign by the government to stigmatise independent journalism, undermine its business model and systematically erode media pluralism.

 

If passed, this legislation would effectively represent the first foreign agent-style law in the European Union, marking another milestone in Hungary’s democratic decline and deepening the crackdown in what has long been the EU’s worst country for media freedom.

 

The proposed law poses a direct threat to core EU values of media freedom and media pluralism as set forth in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights. In targeting funding for media from within the EU, it stands in direct contrast to the vision of the EU as a shared community and single market. This autocratic legislation would grant a foothold for Russian-style strangling of independent media from within the bloc itself.

 

With the bill likely to become law in the coming weeks, our organisations today urge the European leaders and the EU Council to recognise the serious threat posed by this law for both Hungary and the EU and to discuss all possible measures to address the Orban’s government’s fundamental threat to democracy of both the Member State and the bloc itself.

 

The bill, entitled “On the Transparency of Public Life”, would grant the Sovereignty Protection Office (SPO) powers to recommend that any foreign funded legal entity, including media outlets or NGOs, be added to a government blacklist if it deems they pose a threat to the country’s sovereignty.

 

A media outlet added to the list would be blocked from receiving any form of grant or donation or financial transfer from any foreign entity or state. This would include any grants from the European Union or any EU Member State, as well as countries outside the bloc. A media outlet would only be able to receive an exemption for foreign funding with the permission of the Hungarian anti-money laundering authority.

 

If a media outlet does not comply with these rules, the money laundering authority would have powers to impose a fine of 25 times the amount of funding they received, payable within 15 days, which could financially destroy a smaller media company. If blacklisted media is deemed to have committed a repeat funding offence it could face closure, opening the door for the government to legally shut down independent media houses. The bill also includes a provision which would permit the money laundering authority to retroactively assess whether a media outlet served the agenda of a foreign donor and then order the funds to be returned.

 

The SPO would also be handed new powers to conduct searches of newsrooms and access documents or computer files, with the assistance of police. Banks would be obliged to monitor the financial activity of blacklisted media houses, provide information on their transactions. They would be barred from citing banking secrecy to refuse to comply with these orders. Meanwhile, the executives, founders and potentially the editors of a blacklisted media outlet would be forced to declare their assets to the national tax office, in the same way as a public figure or politician.

 

In a further threat to the funding model for independent journalism in Hungary, any entity added to the blacklist would lose its eligibility to receive a 1% annual tax donation from citizens as is currently the case in Hungary. The voluntary donation from readers to media houses which run a charitable foundation currently represents a financial lifeline for many media critical of the government, which have been systematically excluded from state advertising budgets and other state funds. This tax rule would come into effect one year after the law is adopted. All other rules would come into effect three days after adoption of the law.

 

While the bill does not mention media directly, its scope involves any legal entity registered in Hungary which carries out activities capable of influencing public opinion or democratic debate, meaning it is essentially targeted at news media and civil society organisations. Broad criteria possible for blacklisting could include any reporting which the SPO deems as “undermining Hungary’s independent, democratic and rule-of-law-based character”, violating Hungary’s constitutional identity or Christian culture or challenging the primacy of marriage, the family and biological sexes. This could lead to increased self-censorship of media covering these topics.

 

These powers would be handled by the Sovereignty Protection Office, a body established in 2023 and headed by a Fidesz loyalist. Our organisations have previously documented the body’s discriminatory and politically motivated stigmatisation of media receiving foreign funds. The SPO is currently being challenged in front of the European Court of Justice but continues its operations. The current bill represents a major strengthening of its powers and broadens its ability to harass and potentially even close media outlets based on its arbitrary assessments.

 

In practical terms, if adopted the impact of the bill on the financial sustainability of a major segment of Hungarian independent media would be severe. A number of predominantly online media which receive European grants for different projects such as cross border investigative reporting could be badly affected. Other media which cover LGBTQ topics would likely be forced to self-censor to avoid retaliation. The impact on other remaining bastions of free press in Hungary which have foreign ownership or foreign subscriptions, remains unclear. Blacklisting could realistically drive media or individual journalists into exile. Overall, the bill contains even more damaging provisions than our organisations had previously feared.

 

The response of the EU to such a direct violation of European law and the threat to fundamental rights and treaty values must be swift and forceful. Given the likely implementation of the law in a rapid parliamentary process, we call on the European Commission to immediately begin assessing the non-compliance of the draft bill with EU law in preparation for an immediate investigation and challenge at the ECJ, if the bill is adopted. This process should be carried out in an expedited time frame to limit the potential damage to what remains of the country’s independent media landscape. Until the Court is able to rule, the Commission should also be ready to apply immediate interim measures against Hungary.

 

It should also be noted that the proposed law is also much harsher than Hungary’s 2017 Law on Transparency, which was subsequently condemned by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in a 2020 ruling as a breach of EU law for its restrictions in free movement of capital, failure to protect right to private and family life and restrictions on the right to freedom of association. The European Council is also due to discuss the Rule of Law Procedure against Hungary at its forthcoming meeting on 27 May, where under Article 7(1) Hungary is deemed as being at risk of a serious breach of EU values. EU leaders should condemn the draft bill and signal the strongest possible opposition to the bill and its impact on Hungarian and EU democracy.

 

Any failure by the EU to urgently address this law as a flagrant attack on media freedom and media pluralism would inspire allies in Slovakia and elsewhere to develop similar attacks on independent media which receive foreign grants. While the European Media Freedom Act due to come into effect in August 2025 represents a much-needed initiative to safeguard free and pluralistic media across the bloc, the EU Commission has not always utilised all tools at its disposal to push back against the steady erosion of media pluralism in Hungary, most glaringly the failure to take up multiple state aid complaints over the government’s abuse of EU money to subsidise pro-government media. The same mistake must not be made again.

 

Moving forward, our MFRR partner organisations continue to stand by all independent media and civil society organisations in Hungary and will be conducting advocacy at the EU and other international bodies.

Signed by:

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

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

Allgemein

Croatia: MFRR Media Freedom Mission to Visit Zagreb to…

Croatia: MFRR Media Freedom Mission to Visit Zagreb to Highlight the Importance of EU legislation and Protection of Journalists

Between 19 and 21 May, Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partner organisations will conduct a press freedom mission to Zagreb, Croatia. The mission aims to engage with public authorities and media representatives on key recommendations from the MFRR monitoring mission report and stress the urgent need for Croatia to fully implement the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive and ensure the effective application of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). 

16 May 2025

The report “Precarity and political pressures: addressing challenges undermining media freedom in Croatia,” published in February 2025, underscores the critical importance  of addressing legal threats to journalists in Croatia – including criminal defamation, restrictions on judicial transparency, weak labour protections, and the proper and timely application of the EMFA.

 

Since January 2024 to May 16, 2025 Mapping Media Freedom (MapMF) has recorded 31 alerts involving 39 journalists and media workers in Croatia. Approximately 67% incidents involved verbal attacks, including around 41% cases of intimidation. Three incidents were linked to election coverage, and five to environmental reporting, with the latest example from May 10, 2025 when a Nova TV reporter and crew member were attacked while covering the environmental degradation along the Una River.

 

The delegation will assess press freedom in Croatia, review progress on recommendations, evaluate state responses to media violations, and verify reported delays in implementing EMFA. The MFRR will meet with government officials, judicial representatives, the Ombudsperson’s office, local publishers, and journalists. The mission will conclude with a meeting with the EU representation in Zagreb.

 

The mission will be led by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and joined by representatives from ARTICLE 19 Europe, Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the International Press Institute (IPI), and OBC Transeuropa (OBCT).

 

A mission report detailing updates of previous findings and recommendations will be published following the visit. The report will then be shared with EU institutions and relevant international bodies. The mission aims to foster accountability, improve protection mechanisms for journalists, and support Croatia’s alignment with European media freedom standards.

 

A press conference will be held in Zagreb, Wednesday, May 21 at 13:30h in the premises of the Croatian Journalists’ Association. For more information, or to schedule interviews with mission participants, please contact mfrr@ecpmf.eu.

Hrvatska: MFRR misija za slobodu medija posjetit će Zagreb kako bi istaknula važnost EU zakonodavstva i zaštite novinara

Od 19. do 21. svibnja, partnerske organizacije inicijative Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) provest će misiju za slobodu medija u Zagrebu, Hrvatska. Cilj misije je razgovarati s javnim vlastima i predstavnicima medija o ključnim preporukama iz izvješća promatračke misije MFRR-a te naglasiti hitnu potrebu da Hrvatska u potpunosti provede EU Direktivu protiv SLAPP tužbi i osigura učinkovitu primjenu Europskog zakona o slobodi medija (EMFA).

 

Izvješće pod nazivom „Prekarnost i politički pritisci: suočavanje s izazovima koji narušavaju slobodu medija u Hrvatskoj”, objavljeno u veljači 2025., ističe koliko je ključno rješavati pravne prijetnje novinarima u Hrvatskoj – uključujući kazneno djelo klevete, ograničenja u transparentnosti pravosuđa, slabu radnu zaštitu te pravilnu i pravovremenu primjenu EMFA-e.

 

Od siječnja 2024. do 16. svibnja 2025., Mapping Media Freedom (MapMF) zabilježio je 31 upozorenje koje uključuje 39 novinara i medijskih djelatnika u Hrvatskoj. Oko 67 posto incidenata uključivalo je verbalne napade, a približno 41 posto odnosilo se na zastrašivanje. Tri incidenta bila su povezana s izvještavanjem o izborima, a pet s ekološkim temama. Posljednji slučaj zabilježen je 10. svibnja 2025., kada su novinarka i snimatelj Nove TV napadnuti dok su izvještavali o uzurpaciji i ekocidu državnog zemljišta uz rijeku Unu.

 

Delegacija će procijeniti stanje slobode medija u Hrvatskoj, razmotriti napredak u provedbi preporuka, evaluirati reakcije države na kršenja medijskih prava te provjeriti prijavljena kašnjenja u provedbi EMFA-e. MFRR će se sastati s predstavnicima vlasti, pravosuđa, Ureda pučke pravobraniteljice, lokalnih izdavača i novinara. Misija će završiti sastankom s predstavništvom EU-a u Zagrebu.

 

Misiju će predvoditi Europski centar za slobodu tiska i medija (ECPMF) i Europska federacija novinara (EFJ), a pridružit će im se predstavnici organizacija ARTICLE 19 Europe, Free Press Unlimited (FPU), Međunarodnog instituta za medije (IPI) i OBC Transeuropa (OBCT).

 

Izvješće o misiji s ažuriranim nalazima i preporukama bit će objavljeno nakon posjeta, a zatim će se podijeliti s institucijama EU-a i relevantnim međunarodnim tijelima. Cilj misije je potaknuti odgovornost, unaprijediti mehanizme zaštite novinara i podržati usklađivanje Hrvatske s europskim standardima slobode medija.

 

Konferencija za medije održat će se u Zagrebu, u srijedu 21. svibnja u 13:30 sati u prostorijama Hrvatskog novinarskog društva.
Za više informacija ili dogovor o intervjuima s članovima misije, kontaktirajte: mfrr@ecpmf.eu.

Allgemein

Croatia: New attack on journalists over environmental reporting, activation…

Croatia: New attack on journalists over environmental reporting, activation of government safety protocols

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) condemned the attack on Nova TV’s investigative journalist Danka Derifaj and camera operator Miroslav Bokan while filming a report on the long-term environmental destruction along the Una River in Croatia.

14 May 2025

We also join our Croatian affiliates (TUCJ and CJA), and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN), in welcoming the prompt action of the Lika-Senj County Police, who arrested the individuals responsible under the government’s safety protocol for journalists signed with the Ministry of Interior, TUCJ, and CJA.

 

On 10 May 2025, at around 6 pm, Reporter Danka Derifaj and camera operator Miroslav Bokan from Nova TV’s investigative program Provjereno were forcibly prevented from filming environmental degradation at the Štrbački Buk area along the Una River in Croatia. While questioning a couple who were allegedly responsible for illegally occupying and damaging the state-owned land, the journalists were verbally and physically attacked by them. The man first shouted at camera operator Bokan to not film in a derogatory manner, after which his wife slapped reporter Danka Derifaj. The incident was recorded on video.

 

Both attackers were arrested with criminal charges being filed, on suspicion of committing the criminal offence of ‘coercion against a person performing tasks of public interest or in public service’.

 

“The attack on Danko Derifaj and his team is an attack on journalism and the public’s right to know. They went to film the devastation of state land in Štrbački Buk, and were met with curses, threats, and physical violence. Danko opened an important story – now it’s our turn, especially other media outlets, to continue it,” stated TUCJ and EFJ President Maja Sever.

 

The EFJ also welcomes the swift activation of the Protocol on Police Conduct in Cases Involving Criminal Offences Against Journalists by Croatian authorities following the attack on Nova TV journalists. While physical violence against journalists is relatively rare in Croatia, authorities have not consistently classified such assaults as criminal offenses, as seen in the case of Melita Vrsaljko, assaulted twice in a week over reporting on illegal waste dumps.

 

The recent implementation of this protocol indicates a positive step towards enhancing the safety of journalists, who often face violence when reporting on environmental issues. Mapping Media Freedom data since 2024indicates a worsening environment for media workers, primarily involving threats and intimidation.

 

From 19-21 May, the MFRR delegation will travel to Zagreb and continue to deeply assess the state of press freedom in Croatia and provide crucial recommendations, including the enforcement of government safety protocols, to ensure a media environment free from violence.

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

Allgemein

Europe at a crossroads: Defending democracy depends on defending…

Europe at a crossroads: defending democracy depends on defending media freedom

On this World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners express solidarity with all journalists and media professionals who face threats, intimidation, and attacks for their work. In these challenging times of socio-political turmoil in Europe and beyond, public interest journalism is more crucial than ever, as journalists continue to work under increasing pressure. We call for decisive action by the European Union, its member states, and candidate countries to uphold and protect media freedom. 

3 May 2025

Over the past year, we have seen a sharp rise in the complex and multifaceted challenges undermining the resilience of Europe’s media landscape. These serious threats include the rise of political polarisation, disinformation, far-right influence, political pressure, reduction of funding, and growing attempts to restrict or even control independent reporting under the pretext of national security. These factors place immense pressure on the media and increase uncertainty for many journalists. 

 

This growing climate of hostility has led to a significant increase in attacks on media freedom and journalists across the continent. Since last year’s WPFD, Mapping Media Freedom (MapMF) recorded approximately 1,400 attacks, affecting nearly 2,500 individuals and media organisations. This marks a substantial rise from the previous year, which saw around 1,240 attacks affecting about 1,850 individuals.

 

The past year saw an upsurge in verbal assaults, censorship, SLAPPs, and physical violence. The attacks came from private individuals and government bodies alike, with the most frequent violations happening online and in the context of protests. Online attacks included verbal attacks, interference, and attacks on property. Perpetrators of these incidents often remain unknown, contributing to a heightened sense of impunity. 

 

On the other hand, over half of attacks during protests were physical, with 41.1% resulting in injury. Violations were recorded during protests in Georgia, Serbia, Turkey, and Germany, among other places. Incidents included pressures and excessive use of force both by police and private individuals, demonstrating that protecting both the freedom of expression and freedom of assembly is crucial for safeguarding our democracies.

 

The so-called Super-Election Year, 2024, was marked by numerous national and regional elections across Europe. The elections laid bare growing political polarisation across Europe, and amid this tense environment, journalists and media outlets covering the elections faced a surge in attacks and intimidation. MapMF registered 205 election-related cases, with significant incidents in Georgia, where police violence and attacks by private individuals were particularly prevalent, resulting in injuries in 72.4% of cases.

 

Foreign Agent Laws, which seek to curb independent media and civil society organisations under the pretext of combating foreign influence, have raised growing concerns for media freedom organisations. Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovakia adopted such laws, while Bulgaria, Turkey, Moldova, and Hungary have seriously considered their adoption. 

 

News of spyware and targeted surveillance of journalists have also shaken the media several times in the past year. Six recorded cases involved software like Pegasus, Predator, Graphite, and NoviSpy. The purchase of these tools is often linked to the governments, however, the attackers remain unidentified in 75% of cases. The most recent examples came from Italy and Serbia, where journalists were targeted through social media applications. Graphite software targeted 90 WhatsApp users, including Italian Fanpage Editor-in-Chief Francesco Cancellato, while two BIRN journalists were targeted by Pegasus in Serbia.

 

MapMF has documented a continued pattern of spoofing and deepfake attacks, with around 30 cases affecting 60 individuals. These attacks often involve fake websites, fraudulent advertising, and manipulated videos or images, with many incidents linked to Russian propaganda channels spreading disinformation. 80% of those behind spoofing attacks remain unidentified, contributing to high levels of impunity.

 

Over the past year, environmental reporting has become increasingly dangerous, with around 40 cases affecting nearly 60 journalists recorded. These journalists face threats and obstructions while covering issues, such as natural disasters, waste management, mining, and pollution. Examples include journalists reporting on the aftermath of the DANA storm in Spain, as well as those targeted with legal threats or defamation by private companies or politicians for reporting on waste management, mining, or pollution.     

 

The increasing number of attacks against journalists and media entities underscores the urgent need for greater protection and support for press freedom. This WPFD needs to highlight issues faced by journalists and push governments to scale up their responses to resist and remedy this challenging environment. This includes prompt and effective implementation of the European Media Freedom Act, and Anti-SLAPP Directive, as well as related acts such as the Digital Services and Digital Markets Act. Moreover, we urge the European Union to mainstream media freedoms and protection of journalists in the upcoming policy dialogues, including EU Democracy Shield. The MFRR partners reiterate that there is no democracy and security without media freedom in Europe. 

 

Media Freedom Rapid response partners will discuss these and other topics during a series of events marking WPFD, on May 5th in Brussels. You can register to some of them using these links

Signed by:

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

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

Allgemein

Serbia: Media freedom in a state of emergency –…

Serbia: Media freedom in a state of emergency – New report

On the eve of World Press Freedom Day, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today shares alarming findings about the deteriorating state of press and media freedom in Serbia. The MFRR solidarity mission to Belgrade and Novi Sad, conducted on 7-9 April, alongside ongoing monitoring, revealed a state of emergency – one that demands urgent attention and action from national authorities and the EU.

2 May 2025

Although the media freedom crisis has persisted for years, the reporting of the deadly collapse of the Novi Sad canopy railway has led to ever-increasing pressure on journalists across Serbia, including young media professionals and journalism students.

 

From censorship, political pressure, increasing media capture, relentless smear campaigns, and abusive lawsuits and daily threats to their lives, media workers face a hostile environment where perpetrators – including state authorities and government officials – act with total impunity. Investigations into threats, when opened, are rarely efficient, let alone concluded, and serve more as box-ticking exercises than genuine efforts to deliver justice and protect journalists.

 

Prevented from carrying out its normal work, the press has been forced to focus on surviving relentless attacks, resisting discrediting efforts, and suppression, to the detriment of the citizens’ right to free and unbiased information.

 

During the solidarity mission, the MFRR partners focused on meeting with journalists from both private and state-owned outlets, as well as trade unions and civil society groups. The delegation also met with officials from the State Attorney’s Office and the Serbian police, as well as representatives from the European Union (EU) office in Belgrade, the Council of Europe (CoE), and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

 

Amid the MFRR findings are serious omissions by the Serbian authorities regarding the protection of journalists, which are irreconcilable with the protection of freedom of expression as prescribed by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the benchmarks set as part of the accession negotiations concerning Chapter 23 (Judiciary and fundamental rights). 

 

Key recommendations to Serbian authorities, including the President of Serbia, include:

  • Cease and condemn all public attacks on the media and journalists
  • Cease all illegal police actions against the media, including office raids 
  • Cease the illegal use of spyware against journalists and civil society
  • Ensure law enforcement training
  • Ensure a thorough and swift investigation into the attacks on media and journalists, including the historic murders
  • Ensure the new process for appointing members of the REM Council is conducted in a fair, independent and transparent process, free from political influence.
  • Ensure the independence of the public broadcaster 

 

To the European Union:

  • Publicly condemn all attacks on journalists and civil society actors who receive threats, physical attacks, and legal threats as a result of their work 
  • Publicly and consistently question Serbian authorities about the status of investigations into attacks against journalists
  • Publicly condemn the unlawful digital surveillance and use of spyware against journalists and CSOs and raise those in high-level meetings with senior officials, including the President of Serbia
  • Consider suspending negotiations with Serbian authorities on Chapter 23 (Judiciary and fundamental rights) of the EU accession process until substantial and sustained reforms are made regarding media freedom, media pluralism, and the safety of journalists. 

 

The Media Freedom Rapid Response stands ready to participate in public consultations and support efforts to strengthen media freedom in Serbia.

 

The mission was led by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), and was joined by representatives from ARTICLE 19 Europe, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), International Press Institute (IPI), and the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT). It was coordinated with support from the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS).

 

The report was produced as a joint effort by all organisations which took part in the mission.

Event

Reporting on protests amid repression in Turkey, Serbia, and…

Reporting on protests amid repression in Turkey, Serbia, and Georgia

30 April, 12:00 CET

As authoritarianism rises and democratic institutions weaken across parts of Europe, journalists on the frontlines of protest coverage are increasingly under attack. In Turkey, Serbia, and Georgia, reporters face escalating threats — from police violence and arbitrary detention to online censorship, legal harassment, and coordinated smear campaigns. These tactics not only silence critical voices but also undermine the public’s right to information.

To mark World Press Freedom Day 2025, this webinar will examine the hostile environment facing independent media in these three countries.

Through firsthand accounts and expert insights, the panel will explore:

  • The risks journalists face while covering protests and state abuses

  • Legal and regulatory tools used to restrict independent reporting

  • Digital repression and attacks on press freedom online

  • Strategies for resistance and the role of international actors in promoting accountability

 

This conversation will also consider how the EU, human rights organisations, and civil society can respond to growing repression and support a freer media environment.

Moderator

Oliver Money-Kyrle

Head of Europe Advocacy and Programmes at International Press Institute (IPI)

Speakers

Moreta Bobokhidze

Eurasia Department Programme Officer, Civil Rights Defenders

Özgür Öğret

Turkey Representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Uroš Jovanovic

Manager of the Public Policy Program at Civic Initiatives

Allgemein

Greece: Total impunity persists on fourth anniversary of Giorgos…

Greece: Total impunity persists on fourth anniversary of Giorgos Karaivaz murder

The undersigned international media freedom and journalist organisations today mark the fourth anniversary of the killing of Greek crime reporter Giorgos Karaivaz in April 2021 with a renewed call for justice and an end to ongoing impunity, which continues to cast a dark shadow over the Greek media and press freedom landscape.

09 April 2025

Karaivaz, a veteran reporter specialised in police and crime issues, was gunned-down outside his home in Athens by two men on a moped on 9 April 2021, in what is widely suspected to have been a professional contract killing linked to organised crime groups.

 

In July 2024, two brothers arrested in May 2023 and charged with participating in the murder were found not guilty by a court due to insufficient evidence following an investigation in which key evidence was mysteriously destroyed. Karaivaz’s family has appealed this decision, arguing that evidence and testimonies were not properly assessed. However, these appeals to the Supreme Court were rejected and in December 2024, the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court issued a ruling closing the case.

 

In December 2024, the Mixed Jury Court of Athens then ruled conclusively that Karaivaz was murdered because of his journalistic work. This ruling represented a welcome recognition of the centrality of his journalistic work to his killing, though did nothing to further the case.

 

Since the acquittals, no additional arrests have been made and our organisations are aware of no further tangible progress in the criminal investigation, despite the fact that two other suspects are still wanted in connection with the murder. The result is that one of the most serious attacks on journalism in the European Union in recent years remains in a state of total impunity.

 

On the fourth anniversary of the killing, we therefore urge law enforcement authorities and prosecutors to renew their efforts to identify, detain, and prosecute all those involved in the killing, from the gunmen to the mastermind, in whichever country they may be, if necessary with the assistance of international bodies such as Europol.

 

Our organisations stand by the family and colleagues of Karaivaz in their ongoing search for justice and accountability for the assassination. Our organisations, which conducted a joint mission to Athens in 2023 during which we met with the family as well as judicial and law enforcement authorities, will continue to push for answers and justice.

Signed by:

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

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

Allgemein

Serbia: Spyware attacks on BIRN journalists further deepen press…

Serbia: Spyware attacks on BIRN journalists further deepen press freedom crisis

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today raise further alarm about the deepening press freedom crisis in Serbia in the wake of revelations showing evidence of the abuse of advanced Pegasus spyware to target two journalists from leading investigative media platform BIRN.

28 March 2025

Our organisations warn that the ultimately failed attempt to use military-grade surveillance technology to spy on journalists from the award-winning Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) represents another milestone in the deteriorating situation in Serbia, which requires immediate and strong interventions from the European Union.

 

The confirmation of spyware use was published by Amnesty International on March 27 and documented how its forensic testing had shown how the two female journalists – one of whom was Jelena Veljković – had both received messages on February 14 containing fake links, which if clicked would have infected the phone with Pegasus, an advanced spyware tool sold by Israeli cybersurveillance firm NSO Group.

 

The messages were sent hours apart in the messaging platform Viber from the same number registered with the state operator Telekom Srbija, and included a link which led to a fake version of the Serbian news portal N1. According to BIRN, after the identical messages were flagged as potential phishing attacks, they were forwarded to Amnesty, which carried out the tests. The human rights group said that there was a high probability that one or more actors from the Serbian state apparatus, or agents acting on their behalf, were involved in the attack.

 

Our organisations strongly condemn the latest example of spyware use to target investigative journalists in Serbia, which is prohibited as a criminal offense under the country’s Criminal Code. These attacks pose a serious threat to journalistic privacy, source protection and media freedom. Alarmingly, these are the seventh and eighth confirmed cases of spyware use against journalists in Serbia, posing a pattern of illegal yet unsanctioned spyware abuse.

 

The MFRR responded to previous revelations in December 2024 which showed how products made by Israeli company Cellebrite were being used by Serbian authorities to extract data from the phones of journalists and activists. Following Amnesty’s report,  Cellebrite revoked its licence to the Serbian authorities. The revelations by Amnesty also documented how domestically-developed spyware, “NoviSpy”, had been developed to infect Android devices and capture confidential information and upload it to a government-controlled server.

 

The new revelations offer yet more damning evidence of the flagrant abuse of NSO’s technology by its clients. NSO claims its products are “sold exclusively to verified government users” such as state law enforcement and intelligence authorities, meaning its use in Serbia would be limited to state agencies.

 

Given the fresh abuses, our organisations firstly call on all Serbian intelligence authorities, police bodies, the Ministry of Interior, and the government to immediately provide transparent information about cyber-surveillance capabilities at their disposal and their use against journalists, as well as information about all ongoing contracts with private surveillance firms, any of which would violate the country’s laws.

 

Secondly, considering the growing body of evidence of Pegasus use by Serbian authorities, our groups demand that NSO Group launch an immediate internal review of any existing contracts with Serbian authorities, consider the repeated breaches of its terms of use, and swiftly revoke any existing contracts, as well as urgently review its safeguards procedures for abuse of its products by authoritarian states.

 

Thirdly, we urge the European Union to strongly condemn the targeting of journalists from BIRN Serbia, and to request urgent answers from Serbian government and law enforcement authorities about repeated abuses of spyware technology. More widely, the EU must take far stronger action to address spyware use against journalists and the rapidly deteriorating media freedom situation in Serbia, which has now reached its most worrying point in decades, in clear violation of fundamental democratic values required for EU accession.

 

Our organisations stand by BIRN Serbia, its journalists, and their important investigative work. We will continue to closely monitor, document and respond to all attacks on press freedom and journalists in Serbia, and will make spyware a central topic of investigation during the MFRR’s upcoming emergency visit to the country on April 7-9. During this trip we will gather information about other potentially unreported spyware attacks and work with partner organisations to investigate them.

Signed by:

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

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

Allgemein

Serbia: MFRR media freedom mission to visit Belgrade and…

Serbia: MFRR media freedom mission to visit Belgrade and Novi Sad

The partners organisation of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) will conduct a mission to Serbia between 7-9 April to meet with journalists, media stakeholders and law enforcement authorities amidst a rapidly worsening media freedom crisis.

28 March 2025

During the three-day visit, the delegation will travel to Belgrade and Novi Sad to meet with journalists, editors, media outlets, journalist associations and civil society groups to gather information about the serious spike in pressure on independent journalism and media freedom by state authorities and government officials.

 

The mission has sought meetings with officials from the State Prosecutor’s Office and the Serbian Police, as well as representatives from the European Union office in Belgrade (EU), the Council of Europe (COE), and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation (OSCE).

 

The visit comes as independent media and those covering ongoing nationwide anti-corruption protests face an increasingly dangerous climate of attacks, harassment, death threats, smears from leading public officials, as well as legal threats, and ongoing regulatory and financial pressure.

 

Since the beginning of protests in November 2024 following the Novi Sad station tragedy, Mapping Media Freedom (MMF), the largest platform in Europe for documenting attacks on journalism and media, which is run by the MFRR, has recorded 66 violations of media freedom and different attacks on journalists.

 

The mission will be led by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and joined by representatives from ARTICLE 19 Europe, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the International Press Institute (IPI) and OBC Transeuropa (OBCT). It is being coordinated with support from the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS).

 

The partner organisations of the MFRR last jointly visited Serbia in 2023 to attend events marking the anniversary of the murder of Serbian editor Slavko Curuvija in 1999. An MFRR fact-finding mission to Serbia was also carried out in 2021.

 

A mission report with key findings and recommendations will be published by MFRR partners following the visit and provided to EU authorities.

 

The delegation will also be holding press conferences with both Belgrade and Novi Sad. For more information, or to schedule interviews, please email mfrr@ecpmf.eu

 

Recent MFRR advocacy on Serbia:

Serbia: One year of unpunished attacks on journalist Dinko Gruhonjić

Serbia: Urgent call stop targeting and intimidating journalists

Serbia: Urgent need for a swift and thorough investigation into invasive surveillance of journalists and sources

Serbia: Media independence is an exception rather than the rule

Serbia: Independent journalism faces its biggest crisis in years

Srbija: Misija za slobodu medija MFRR u poseti Beogradu i Novom Sadu

 

Partnerske organizacije platforme Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) će sprovesti misiju u Srbiji između 7. i 9. aprila tokom koje će se sastati sa novinarima, medijskim interesnim grupama i organima za sprovođenje zakona usred sve veće krize slobode medija.

 

Tokom trodnevne posete delegacija će boraviti u Beogradu i Novom Sadu gde će se sastati sa novinarima, urednicima, medijskim kućama, novinarskim udruženjima i organizacijama civilnog društva kako bi prikupila informacije o ozbiljnom porastu pritisaka na nezavisno novinarstvo i slobodu medija od strane državnih organa i službenika.

 

Misija je takođe tražila sastanak sa zvaničnicima Republičkog javnog tužilaštva i policije, kao i sa predstavnicima kancelarije Evropske unije u Beogradu (EU) i Organizacije za bezbednost i saradnju (OEBS).

 

Poseta dolazi u trenutku kada se nezavisni mediji i oni koji izveštavaju o aktuelnim protestima protiv korupcije širom zemlje suočavaju sa sve opasnijom atmosferom napada, uznemiravanja, pretnji smrću, kleveta koje dolaze od visokih državnih funkcionera, kao i pravnih pretnji i kontinuiranih regulatornih i finansijskih pritisaka.

 

Od početka protesta u novembru 2024. nakon tragedije na stanici u Novom Sadu, Mapping Media Freedom (MMF), najveća platforma u Evropi za dokumentovanje napada na novinare i medije, koju vodi MFRR, zabeležila je 66 slučajeva kršenja slobode medija i raznih napada na novinare.

 

Misiju će predvoditi Evropska federacija novinara (EFJ), uz učešće predstavnika ARTICLE 19 Europe, Evropskog centra za slobodu štampe i medija (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), Međunarodnog instituta za štampu (IPI) i OBC Transeuropa (OBCT). Koordinira se uz podršku Nezavisnog udruženja novinara Srbije (NUNS).

 

Partnerske organizacije platforme MFRR poslednji put su zajedno posetile Srbiju 2023. godine kako bi prisustvovale događajima povodom obeležavanja godišnjice ubistva srpskog novinara Slavka Ćuruvije 1999. godine. Mreža MFRR je 2021. godine u Srbiji obavila misiju za procenu stanja slobode medija.

 

Nakon posete partneri MFRR-a objaviće izveštaj sa najvažnijim zaključcima i preporukama, koji će potom biti dostavljen zvaničnicima Evropske unije.

 

Delegacija će takođe održati konferencije za štampu u Beogradu i Novom Sadu. Za više informacija i zakazivanje intervjua pišite na e-mail adresu mfrr@ecpmf.eu

 

Nedavne akcije MFRR-a vezane za Srbiju:

Serbia: One year of unpunished attacks on journalist Dinko Gruhonjić

Serbia: Urgent call stop targeting and intimidating journalists

Serbia: Urgent need for a switf and thorough investigation into invasive surveillance of journalists and sources

Serbia: Media independence is an exception rather than the rule

Serbia: Independent journalism faces its biggest crisis in years