Media in Serbia: Attacks and pressure are intensifying

Media in Serbia: attacks and pressure are intensifying

Journalists and outlets critical of Serbia’s political leadership are consistently targeted by high-ranking state officials, with professional associations reporting a record number of physical and verbal attacks. Despite international backlash, the government and aligned media continue their smear campaign against critical voices.

23 March 2026

At the end of February, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) published its Killed List Report 2025, an annual report on killings and attacks against journalists. The report shows that Serbia is one of the European countries with the highest number of attacks against journalists and cases of journalist murders that remain unpunished.

The IFJ explains that in 2025, the largest number of journalists lost their lives while carrying out their work in conflict zones, such as Gaza, where the Israeli army killed at least 56 Palestinian media workers last year. The report highlights that attacks on journalists also occurred during protests in many European countries, “with the highest levels of physical in Georgia, Serbia and Turkey”.

In Serbia, 44 physical attacks against journalists were recorded in 2025, compared to 14 in 2024, as confirmed by data published on Mapping Media Freedom.

These assaults include “excessive use of force by law enforcement officers, as well as arrests, mainly during anti-corruption protests. Journalists and journalism students were affected”, writes the IFJ.

Serbia is not an isolated case. The IFJ’s annual report shows that attacks on journalists have intensified globally, registering a significant increase (almost 13%) compared to 2024.

The International Federation of Journalists focuses in particular on impunity for journalist murders and disappearances, seeing it as “another worrying finding”. The Council of Europe’s platform for the safety of journalists lists all cases of journalist murders that have remained unpunished. Of a total of fifty cases, nineteen involve journalists killed or disappeared in Kosovo between 1998 and 2005.

Among the countries with the highest number of unsolved journalist murders are Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Serbia. One of the crimes than “remain scandalously unpunished” is the murder of Slavko Ćuruvija in Belgrade in April 1999.

Attacks continue

Assaults on journalists, unfortunately, continued in the first three months of 2026, and there is no hope of an end, as confirmed by journalists’ associations that carefully monitor and document attacks on media professionals. According to data released by the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS), 38 incidents were recorded in January and 34 in February, including eight physical attacks and as many death threats.

In January, the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation (SĆF) recorded 160 verbal attacks against critical media and journalists by senior state officials and members of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). In February, the number of attacks rose to 71.

The Foundation’s analysis shows that the majority of attacks recorded since the beginning of 2026 came from SNS MPs Nebojša Bakarec and Milenko Jovanov, Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and SNS leader Miloš Vučević. In its monthly report “Politicians Against Journalists in Serbia”, the SĆF states that the daily newspaper Danas, television stations N1 and Nova S, and, for the first time, the portal Istinomer, were the most targeted in February.

“As has become customary”, denounces the SĆF, “the targeted media outlets were labeled as anti-Serb, Ustasha, blokaderi and tycoon media, criminal Šolak’s media, poisonous, and the journalists of those editorial offices were labeled as fake journalists of Šolak’s media, cynics of the tycoon media, idiots of N1 and Nova S, lobbyists of N1 and Nova S, socio-political operators passing themselves off as journalists, self-proclaimed journalists and the like”.

The media are attacked for various reasons: sometimes for covering certain political issues, such as the recent amendment to the Judiciary Law and the visit of a European Parliament delegation to Belgrade, other times for covering civic and student protests and addressing uncomfortable issues such as the arrest of suspects in an alleged assassination attempt on Vučić and the protest in Novi Sad during the Matica Srpska anniversary celebrations.

These are mostly direct attacks, in which officials discredit the media and journalists, calling into question their professionalism and independence. One in ten attacks involves accusing journalists and the media of being traitors and foreign mercenaries, while one in five involves dehumanisation. Over a fifth of the attacks target journalists, accusing them of inciting, preparing and supporting criminal acts.

The goal of all attacks is to discredit, silence and intimidate independent and critical voices.

“In most cases, officials discredit the media and journalists, calling into question their professionalism, independence and honesty. […] Independent media have been accused, without any evidence, of inciting Vučić’s murder, of being ‘media sponsors of crimes and violence’ and of wanting to ‘hang, ride, and kill’ political opponents”, reads the report.

Malicious campaigns and hacker attacks

The beginning of the year was also marked by the campaign against Veran Matić, president of the board of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) and a member of the Permanent Working Group on Journalists’ Safety. Specifically, the Center for Social Stability, a Novi Sad-based organisation close to the ruling leadership, produced a documentary in which Matić is labeled an enemy of the Serbian state and society and a foreign agent working against Serbia for decades. Given that the film was broadcast by numerous pro-government outlets, it is clear that this was a malicious campaign orchestrated against Matić, as confirmed by the Coalition for Media Freedom.

In addition to traditional attacks, the beginning of the year also saw numerous hacks targeting several media outlets, including Radar, Južne Vesti and Glas Šumadije. The Coalition for Media Freedom warns that these attacks are part of a broader, ongoing campaign threatening freedom of expression. The scale and intensity of the attacks suggest that the campaign is not driven by individuals, but by well-organised structures with significant financial resources.

As the Coalition for Media Freedom points out, the attacks are coordinated and often coincide with important political events, such as elections, protests and the publication of journalistic investigations. Although international institutions and Serbian organisations have repeatedly called for clarification on these cases, to date no cyberattack against media outlets in Serbia has resulted in a judicial outcome, nor has the identity of those responsible been identified.

“Hacking media websites is a crime, and the relevant institutions have an obligation to investigate and identify those responsible. Identifying those responsible is crucial to protecting media content, security and the public’s right to timely information”, says the Coalition for Media Freedom.

In a country like Serbia, where the ruling elite holds all public institutions hostage – including the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM), which should be the first to respond to serious violations of the law – it is unlikely that attacks on the media, and on critical voices in general, will cease spontaneously.

The consequences of years of impunity for attacks against media workers and the growing presence of hate speech in the media, often emanating from high-ranking state officials and their associates, have long been felt. These phenomena contribute to the climate of impunity and legitimise pressure on journalists, thus restricting the space for free and critical journalism.

Without a clear institutional response and the political will to protect journalists and media freedom, this trend will not only continue but will undermine fundamental democratic principles and citizens’ right to timely and truthful information.

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

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Media freedom in Hungary at a crossroads ahead of…

Media freedom in Hungary at a crossroads ahead of election

2 April, 15:00 CET

As the general election approaches on 12 April 2026, the fate of media freedom in Hungary stands at yet another major crossroads.

If the Fidesz party of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán triumphs again, leading officials have already threatened to “complete” the job of driving “pseudo journalists” and media organisations which receive foreign funds out of the country. After 15 years of the dramatic erosion of press freedom and media pluralism, another four years of authoritarian rule would likely see the space for independent journalism shrink further, and the potential return of a previously shelved foreign funding bill.

If the opposition party led by challenger Péter Magyar wins, his Tisza party has pledged in their manifesto to carry out major media reforms to address “state propaganda” and “disinformation”, including by adopting a new media law, reforming media regulatory bodies, suspending public media news broadcasting after taking office until reforms are carried out, and putting a temporary moratorium on state advertising in media.

Taken together, the opposition’s reform agenda appears aimed at breaking the government monopoly on information in Hungary’s media ecosystem. However, in a media landscape future proofed by Fidesz against major structural reform, there are already growing concerns that the measures used to do so by a Tisza government could bring their own risks and face major legal and political challenges.

In this one-hour session on 2 April, the International Press Institute (IPI) and the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) will bring together leading Hungarian media experts and journalists to analyse these diverging paths post-election and discuss different recommendations for long-term, democratic reform.

On the panel, we’ll hear from the authors of a new report by the Rule of Law Lab at New York University School of Law, in collaboration with Hungarian watchdog Mérték Media Monitor, which analyses 15 years of Fidesz’s playbook for repressing independent media.

The International Press Institute (IPI) will also present its blueprint for media reform in Hungary, featuring key recommendations for regenerating media freedom and pluralism in the country.

Moderator

Jamie Wiseman

Senior Europe Advocacy Officer, International Press Institute (IPI)

Speakers

Bea Bodrogi

Hungarian media law expert and expert advisor at the Rule of Law Lab at New York University School of Law

Dr. Gábor Polyák

Professor and head of the Department of Media and Communication at Eötvös Loránd University, senior researcher of Mertek Media Monitor

Atilla Mong

Europe representative, Committee to Protect Journalists

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Serbia: Coordinated smear campaign by the Centre for Social…

Serbia: Coordinated smear campaign by the Centre for Social Stability requires urgent response from authorities

Over the past month, the Centre for Social Stability, a non-governmental organisation known for targeting independent journalists, intensified its ongoing smear campaign against Veran Matić, President of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) and member of the Permanent Working Group on the Safety of Journalists. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) strongly condemns these shameful attacks and calls on Serbian authorities to respond promptly by launching an investigation into the Center for Social Stability.

20 March 2026

On 18 March 2026, the Centre for Social Stability incited hostility towards ANEM President Veran Matić on its social media, with a declaration dangerously echoing a 2003 remark by former Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić before the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić.

Weeks before the attack, Veran Matić and other media figures were portrayed as “enemies of the state” in the documentary series ‘Evil Age 2 Creating Propaganda’. The documentary, which consists in selective framing and fabricated narratives to discredit independent journalism, was broadcast on national and cable TV on 29 January, and rebroadcast by the pro-government media Informer early February. Footage in the documentary showing Matić at the commemoration of murdered journalist Slavko Ćuruvija heightened particular concerns for his safety.

While multiplying dangerous rhetorics against Veran Matić, the organisation recently published a list of 45 future targets in upcoming episodes. More than half of those named are independent journalists, many affiliated with United Media Group, who have previously been targets of political pressure and threats that remain unpunished to this day.

Representatives of organisations tirelessly defending journalists under attack are also threatened, including Željko Bodrožić, president of the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS), an EFJ affiliate, and Ana Lalić Hegedis, president of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (NDNV).

This smear campaign is part of a deep-rooted trend of intimidating and silencing those who work to defend press freedom and professional journalistic standards. While the Centre for Social Stability is named as the producer, the identity of its author, narrator, and sources for the images and video remains unknown.

“The broadcast of such defamatory and manipulative content on television during primetime, coupled with the authorities’ lack of response, reflects a climate of impunity when it comes to attacking journalists. Those in authority, including Vučić and his party, who publicly discredit journalists and other representatives, bear responsibility for this public harassment. We are also alarmed by the prolonged absence of a functioning Council of the Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (REM), which has permitted the dissemination of harmful and potentially dangerous content over the past two years,” said Renate Schroeder, Director of the EFJ.

The EFJ, alongside its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalists, will undertake a two-day mission to Belgrade on March 26–27. This mission is a follow-up to a previous solidarity visit, which concluded that the situation was already critical for the safety of some Serbian journalists. Since then, despite our repeated calls and recommendations, the situation has deteriorated alarmingly.

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

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Serbia: Media freedom mission to probe longstanding challenges and…

Serbia: Media freedom mission to probe longstanding challenges and advocate for reform

On 26-27 March 2026, partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and of the Council of Europe Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists will conduct a mission to Serbia.

20 March 2026

Against the backdrop of ongoing challenges to media pluralism and increasing attacks and pressure on independent journalists – particularly in the wake of nationwide protests following the Novi Sad tragedy on 1 November 2024 – as highlighted by the recently launched 2025 Europe Press Freedom report of the CoE Platform partners, and the 2025 MFRR Monitoring Report, the mission will assess the current media freedom and safety of journalists’ situation in the country. The visit follows-up on a solidarity mission of media freedom groups in April 2025 to discuss possible measures to improve the safety of journalists. The delegation aims to meet with journalists, public officials, as well as representatives of civil society, international organisations, and foreign representations in Belgrade.

Key topics on the agenda include violence against journalists during protests, SLAPPs, impunity for the killing of journalists, media capture, the independence of the media regulator and public service media, investigations into spyware cases, and digital threats against journalists.

The partners will share their initial findings at a press conference on 27 March 2026 at 14:00, at the memorial of murdered journalist Slavko Ćuruvija (Svetogorska 35, Belgrade).

The delegation will include representatives from the following organisations: ARTICLE 19 Europe, Association of European Journalists (AEJ), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), European Broadcasting Union, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Index on Censorship, International Press Institute (IPI), Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Media contacts:

Katia Mierzejewska, katia.mierzejewska@article19.org

Srbija: Misija za slobodu medija ispituje dugogodišnje izazove i zagovara reforme

U periodu od 26. do 27. marta 2026. godine, partnerske organizacije Mehanizma za brzi odgovor u oblasti slobode medija (Media Freedom Rapid Response) i Platforme Saveta Evrope za bezbednost novinara sprovešće zagovaračku misiju u Srbiji.

U kontekstu dugotrajnih izazova za medijski pluralizam i rastućih napada i pritisaka na nezavisne novinare, posebno nakon masovnih protesta širom zemlje koji su usledili posle tragedije u Novom Sadu 1. novembra 2024. godine, misija će proceniti trenutno stanje slobode medija u zemlji.

Delegacija će se nadovezati na nalaze prethodne misije solidarnosti organizacija za slobodu medija iz aprila 2025, kao i nedavno objavljenog izveštaja „Europe Press Freedom 2025“ partnerskih organizacija Platforme Saveta Evrope, kako bi se razgovaralo o mogućim merama za unapređenje bezbednosti novinara.

Tokom posete, delegacija će se sastati sa novinarima, predstavnicima javnih institucija i Vlade, kao i predstavnicima civilnog društva i međunarodnih organizacija.

Ključne teme na agendi uključuju nasilje nad novinarima tokom protesta, SLAPP tužbe, nekažnjivost za ubistva novinara, zarobljavanje medija, nezavisnost medijskog regulatora i javnih servisa, istrage u slučajevima špijunskog softvera, kao i digitalne pretnje novinarima.

Nakon dvodnevne misije, partneri će predstaviti početne nalaze na konferenciji za medije u Beogradu, održanoj na mestu gde je ubijen i gde se nalazi spomen-obeležje ubijenom novinaru Slavku Ćuruviji, 27. marta 2026. godine u 14:00, Svetogorska 35.

Delegaciju će činiti predstavnici i predstavnice sledećih organizacija: Article 19, Evropski centar za štampu i slobodu medija – European Center for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Evropska federacija novinara – European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Reporteri bez graninca – Reporters Without Borders (RWB-RSF), Medjunarodni pres institut – International Press Institute (IPI), Komitet za zaštitu novinara – Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Opservatorija za Balkan Kavkaz Transevropa – Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), Asocijacija evropskih novinara – Association of European Journalists (AEJ), Indeks cenzure – Index on Censorship, Evropska radiodifuzna unija – European Broadcasting Union

Media contacts:

Katia Mierzejewska, katia.mierzejewska@article19.org

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Ukraine: Four years into full-scale invasion, journalism remains a…

Ukraine: Four years into full-scale invasion, journalism remains a deadly profession

On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) hail the continued courage of journalists in the country who continue to report on the war despite serious risks – and waning international attention.

24.02.2026

As we mark the anniversary, our organisations honour and remember the journalists who have been killed while reporting on the war and in the line of duty. We pay our respects to these reporters, who made the ultimate sacrifice in bringing news on the war to Ukrainian and international audiences.

As documented in our recently published annual media freedom monitoring report, 2025 stood out as the deadliest period for journalists in Ukraine since the first months of the full-scale invasion in February-May 2022.

In October 2025, three media workers were killed in Russian attacks in Donetsk region. French photojournalist Antoni Lallican was murdered on October 3 in a strike conducted by an FPV (first-person view) drone. Ukrainian journalist Aliona Hubanova and cameraman Yevhen Karmazin were killed on October 23 in another Russian drone attack. According to MFRR monitoring, 12 more journalists were injured over the past year as a result of Russian attacks.

In the past year, rapid advances in drone technology have made reporting work in Ukraine more dangerous than ever. Multiple incidents recounted by reporters over the past months seem to show that journalists are no longer protected by PRESS markings. Instead, these have become a target used by Russian forces to identify and attack media teams with drones.

In the past four years, 16 journalists have been killed while reporting from Ukraine, while 62 more have been wounded. The perpetrators of these war crimes continue to act with impunity and none of those responsible have been held accountable to date.

Twenty-six Ukrainian journalists are meanwhile still being held in Russian custody, mostly on trumped-up charges of ‘terrorism’ or ‘espionage’. Testimonies by journalists released from Russian captivity paint a picture of systematic mistreatment and torture.

In this context, the tragic and still unexplained death of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna in Russian custody in September 2024 continues to underscore fears for the safety of other imprisoned journalists.

Across Ukraine media and journalists also face increasingly challenging working conditions, as Russian attacks continue to target the country’s critical infrastructure. These have left media offices without heating, power or running water, with Russia continuing to strike Ukraine’s energy systems throughout a harsh winter season and sub-zero temperatures.

On the anniversary of the full-scale invasion, MFRR partners continue to stand in full solidarity with journalists and media workers facing these situations. In the past four years, Ukrainian journalists have offered a remarkable example to their European colleagues by continuing their work in extremely challenging wartime conditions, with many losing their lives or injured while documenting the horrors of war. MFRR partners will continue to monitor, advocate and provide support to the Ukrainian media community now and in the future, as we continue to support the fight for free and independent journalism in Ukraine.

In this context, we call on all stakeholders with diplomatic and advocacy leverage to pursue immediate and sustained efforts towards the release of the Ukrainian journalists still held behind bars.

As peace negotiations continue, we also urge the international community to embed accountability for violations against journalists within broader justice and accountability mechanisms addressing the Russian war against Ukraine With regards to the situation of media on the frontline, we call for the respect by all parties of international humanitarian law, which guarantees journalists access to zones of armed combat and offers them protection as members of the press.

Finally, we call for an urgent refocusing of international support for Ukrainian media, including through funding mechanisms to rebuild critical media infrastructure destroyed across Ukraine.

Signed by:

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

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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Italy: MFRR to conduct follow-up media freedom mission to…

Italy: MFRR to conduct follow-up media freedom mission to Rome

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners will conduct an advocacy mission to Rome, Italy, on 9–10 March 2026 to assess key developments affecting press and media freedom in the country and push for implementation of crucial reforms.

18.02.2026

Italiano

The mission will focus on four main themes: the reform of the public broadcaster RAI and its compliance with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA); the transposition of the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive and broader defamation reform; digital threats and the use of surveillance against journalists; and media market concentration and its compatibility with the EMFA.

The decision to return to Italy two years after the MFRR’s urgent mission to Rome in May 2024 reflects great concerns with the implementation of EMFA and findings from the MFRR’s latest monitoring report, which documented 118 press freedom violations in Italy in 2025. These cases included physical attacks, legal harassment, major spyware cases, and an attempted assassination of prominent journalist Sigfrido Ranucci. These developments point to ongoing structural threats to journalists’ safety, editorial independence, and media pluralism in Italy.

The delegation will engage with institutional and political actors, as well as with representatives of the leadership of RAI, media experts, journalists’ organisations, and media professionals. As in all MFRR country missions, the consortium has requested meetings with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure a balanced and comprehensive assessment of the situation on the ground.

The 2024 mission report, Silencing the Fourth Estate: Italy’s democratic drift, outlined a series of recommendations to address concerns regarding political interference in RAI, legal harassment of journalists and other threats to media pluralism. The March 2026 mission will assess developments since then and continue dialogue with national stakeholders.

The mission led by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and will be carried out with partners of the MFRR consortium: ARTICLE 19 Europe, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the International Press Institute (IPI), and Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT).

The delegation will work in coordination with local partners Amnesty International Italia, the Federazione Nazionale Stampa Italiana (FNSI), and the Unione Sindacale Giornalisti Rai (Usigrai).

A press conference will be held on Tuesday 10 March, from 11:45 to 13:00 CET at the premises of the Consiglio Nazionale Ordine dei Giornalisti, Via Sommacampagna 19, Rome, to present the preliminary findings of the mission.

The MFRR is a consortium of organisations committed to protecting media freedom across Europe. Through monitoring, support, advocacy, and country missions, the MFRR works to ensure a safer and more independent environment for journalists and media professionals. Further information about the mission and its outcomes will be published in the coming weeks.

Italia: il consorzio MFRR condurrà una missione dedicata alla libertà dei media a Roma

I partner del Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) organizzeranno una missione di advocacy a Roma, in Italia, il 9-10 marzo 2026 per valutare i principali sviluppi che influenzano la libertà di stampa e dei media nel paese e sollecitare l’attuazione di riforme cruciali.

La missione si concentrerà su quattro temi principali: la riforma dell’emittente pubblica Rai e la sua conformità alla legge europea sulla libertà dei media (EMFA); il recepimento della direttiva UE Anti-SLAPP e la riforma in materia di diffamazione; le minacce digitali e l’uso della sorveglianza contro i giornalisti; la concentrazione del mercato dei media e la sua compatibilità con l’EMFA.

La decisione di tornare in Italia due anni dopo la missione del consorzio MFRR a Roma nel maggio 2024 riflette le grandi preoccupazioni relative all’attuazione dell’EMFA e alle conclusioni dell’ultimo rapporto di monitoraggio MFRR, che ha documentato 118 violazioni della libertà di stampa in Italia nel 2025. I casi registrati dal report MFRR includono aggressioni fisiche, molestie legali, gravi casi di spionaggio informatico e l’attentato al giornalista Rai Sigfrido Ranucci. Questa tendenza segnala l’esistenza di minacce strutturali alla sicurezza dei giornalisti, all’indipendenza editoriale e al pluralismo dei media in Italia.

La delegazione si confronterà con attori istituzionali e politici, nonché con rappresentanti della dirigenza Rai, esperti dei media, organizzazioni di giornaliste e giornalisti. Come in tutte le missioni MFRR di advocacy, il consorzio ha richiesto incontri con un’ampia gamma di parti interessate per garantire una valutazione equilibrata e completa della situazione sul campo.

Nel rapporto della missione del 2024, intitolato Silenziare il Quarto Potere: La deriva democratica dell’Italia, il consorzio aveva delineato una serie di raccomandazioni per affrontare le preoccupazioni relative alle interferenze politiche nella Rai, alle azioni vessatorie nei confronti dei giornalisti e ad altre minacce al pluralismo dei media. La missione del marzo 2026 valuterà gli sviluppi intervenuti da allora e proseguirà il dialogo con le parti interessate a livello nazionale.

La missione è guidata dalla Federazione europea dei giornalisti (EFJ), e prenderanno parte alla missione gli altri partner del consorzio MFRR: ARTICLE 19 Europe, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the International Press Institute (IPI), e Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT).

La delegazione sarà affiancata dai partner locali: Amnesty International Italia, la Federazione Nazionale Stampa Italiana (FNSI), e l’Unione Sindacale Giornalisti Rai (Usigrai).

La mattina del 10 marzo si terrà una conferenza stampa presso la sede del Consiglio Nazionale Ordine dei Giornalisti, in Via Sommacampagna 19, Roma, per presentare i risultati preliminari della missione.

Il consorzio MFRR riunisce organizzazioni impegnate nella tutela della libertà dei media in tutta Europa. Attraverso attività di monitoraggio, sostegno, advocacy e missioni nei vari paesi, MFRR lavora per garantire un ambiente più sicuro e indipendente ai giornalisti e ai professionisti dei media. Ulteriori informazioni sulla missione e sui suoi risultati saranno pubblicate nelle prossime settimane.

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Media Freedom Monitoring Report 2025

Europe’s media freedom landscape faced sustained pressure in 2025, with attacks on journalists, legal harassment, and political interference continuing across the continent. The new MFRR Monitoring Report 2025 documents the scale and patterns of these threats, drawing on verified cases recorded in the Mapping Media Freedom database.

18.02.2026

Between January and December 2025, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) documented 1,481 press freedom violations affecting 2,377 media-related persons or entities across 36 countries. The report covers all 27 EU Member States as well as nine countries with EU candidate status, offering one of the most comprehensive snapshots of media freedom conditions in Europe.

Download full Monitoring Report 2025

The findings reveal persistent problems that cut across borders and political systems. Verbal attacks, smear campaigns, and intimidation remained the most frequently recorded violations. Digital threats continued to rise, while political actors were increasingly identified as sources of pressure against journalists. In several countries, the data points to deep-rooted structural issues rather than isolated incidents.

The report is structured in four main parts. It opens with a general overview of trends and key statistics, followed by three thematic chapters examining the impunity of crimes against journalists, the spread of foreign agent laws and narratives, and the ongoing use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). The final sections provide detailed country analyses, including case studies from EU Member States and candidate countries where risks to press freedom are particularly acute.

By combining quantitative data with qualitative analysis, the Monitoring Report offers policymakers, journalists, and civil society a clearer picture of how threats to media freedom evolve across Europe. It also highlights areas where stronger safeguards, accountability, and legal protections are urgently needed.

The report has been compiled by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), and the International Press Institute (IPI) as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) project, co-financed by the European Commission.

Types of attacks in EU Member States in 2025
Types of attacks in candidate countries in 2025

Types of attacks in EU Member States in 2025

Types of attacks in candidate countries in 2025

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MFRR welcomes European Democracy Shield draft report and proposes…

MFRR welcomes European Democracy Shield draft report and proposes further protections for journalists

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners welcome the European Commission’s EU Democracy Shield initiative and the European Parliament’s Special Committee’s Rapporteur’s draft report published on 21 January. While the Shield lays out critical political priorities and policy measures to defend democracy, these require further operationalisation. The MFRR reiterates its calls for a comprehensive action plan that elaborates on the concrete implementation and timeline for these commitments.

23 January 2026

The MFRR partners, therefore, share this more detailed response that aims to translate the political commitments of the Democracy Shield into concrete actions that can feed into the Parliamentary Debate on 29 January, and consequent amending procedure.

We are happy to see that Draft Report recognises our monitoring data, citing it to portray the increased intensity of attacks against journalists, and its interplay with disinformation campaigns and foreign interference. In light of this, the amendments MFRR seeks to promote focus on specific topics of media freedom, media pluralism and the protection of journalists.

Our organisations seek to emphasise topics that are inseparable from European values of democracy and human rights, as well as European security and the safeguarding of the information ecosystem. We commend the Draft Report for emphasising the importance of media in the next Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF), and we reiterate our calls for allocating adequate mechanisms for independent media viability and long-term financing.

MFRR truly believes that media and independent journalism should become a part of critical infrastructure and be treated as such. We welcome the strong focus on Anti-SLAPP initiatives and invite the European Parliament to provide concrete steps on the topics of protecting journalists, supporting journalists in exile, and the enforcement of European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), Digital Services Act (DSA) and other EU acts.

More specifically, MFRR welcomes that the Democracy Shield prioritises the safety and protection of journalists, a critical prerequisite for an independent and plural media environment. We also welcome the announcement to scale up rapid response work with trusted partners, to update the Recommendation on the Safety of Journalists and review the Anti-SLAPP Recommendation and to adopt guidelines to support the implementation of EU rules. We call for these protections to be extended both in terms of increased physical security, including non-lethal violence, and legal protection, such as decriminalisation of defamation, and a stronger opposition to foreign agent-style laws.

The MFRR also welcomes the Democracy Shield’s commitment to provide core support to exiled independent journalists and media outlets and to sustain high quality independent media outlets in key partner countries. The EU remains a critical safe haven for journalists at risk worldwide, especially against the backdrop of rising authoritarianism and increased crises. While some EU Member States have stepped forward in offering short-term relocation and protection to journalists in distress, the EU falls short in offering durable and structural protection. In addition, authoritarian regimes continue to target journalists abroad through digital harassment, surveillance and physical attacks. Transnational repression (TNR) requires a coordinated EU response, which the Shield is currently lacking.

Finally, safeguarding the integrity of the information space across the EU block and candidate countries is one of the core objectives of the Democracy Shield. The report recognises and prioritises the threats that foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) poses to democracies and citizen’s rights, including its impact on media freedom and independent journalism. The MFRR calls for a concrete action plan for the functioning of the Centre for Democratic Resilience, and a stronger involvement of journalists and media. As well as stronger support to independent journalists.

MFRR partners sincerely hope to see these recommendations integrated into future drafts and a final report. Our organisations remain open to dialogue and meetings with EU institutions in the drafting process. We intend to remain fully engaged on the initiatives stemming from the European Democracy Shield, both as MFRR, and within wider civil society efforts.

Amendments EU Democracy Shield

Library

Malta: Convicted bomb suppliers lose appeal over Daphne Caruana…

Malta: Convicted bomb suppliers lose appeal over Daphne Caruana Galizia murder

The undersigned international media freedom and journalist organisations welcome the confirmation of guilty verdicts handed to Robert Agius and Jamie Vella, the two men who supplied the bomb used to assassinate journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017.

23 January 2026

On 21 January, the two gang members lost their attempt at the court of appeal to overturn their convictions. Both men are serving life imprisonment after being found guilty in June 2025 of procuring the military grade explosives and providing them to the hitmen who executed the murder of the journalist.

The pair unsuccessfully argued their convictions and sentences should be quashed due to claims of alleged juror misconduct, allegedly prejudicial pre-trial publicity, and the credibility of the key state witness. The Court of Appeal dismissed all these arguments.

The confirmed sentences of life imprisonment solidifies an important step forward for justice and represents another important victory in the fight against impunity, which our organisations jointly hope will further strengthen the case against the alleged mastermind. Five individuals have been found guilty of participating in the killing.

The alleged mastermind, Yorgen Fenech, a powerful Maltese businessman, is awaiting trial. Fenech was released on bail in February 2025 and successfully argued for a court order restricting reporting on his legal proceedings.

Our organisations continue to closely monitor the legal process and reaffirm our continued support for Daphne’s family and their legal team in the ongoing fight for full and uncompromising justice.

We hope that all those involved in the killing will soon be behind bars and some of our organisations intend to be in Valletta to hear the announcement of the verdict. Nothing but full justice for Daphne’s brutal murder will suffice.

Signed by:

International Press Institute (IPI)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Allgemein

EU’s dangerous ‘Return Hubs’ policy: A threat to journalists…

EU’s dangerous ‘Return Hubs’ policy: A threat to journalists in exile

The EU’s new return policy risks jeopardising the lives of vulnerable journalists and human rights defenders living in exile. As such, it undermines the very principles of press freedom and human rights it aims to uphold and the safe haven the EU seeks to provide for journalists from all over the world threatened for reporting on the truth. ECPMF and undersigning organisations urge the EU to immediately reconsider these adverse effects and prioritise the protection of those who have already fled persecution.

12 December 2025

On 8 December 2025, the Council of the European Union approved a negotiating position on a new EU-wide law for the return of so-called irregular migrants. This includes a common “return order”, mutual recognition of returns, and the possibility of sending rejected asylum seekers to “return hubs” or “safe” third countries. It is a dangerous decision with serious implications for journalists and human rights defenders under threat, especially those already living in exile.

According to the EU’s own criteria for qualifying a third country as “safe”, the country concerned should respect fundamental rights, the rule of law and protection from persecution of journalists and other at-risk groups. But these indicators resonate in the exact opposite direction in many of the newly listed states. Many of the countries listed as “safe” third countries are the very same places where journalists face imprisonment, harassment, and violence. Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index consistently ranks these states as high-risk environments for the press. This year’s ranking of the newly added “safe” third countries: Out of 180 countries – Bangladesh 149, Colombia 115, Egypt 170, India 151, Kosovo 99, Morocco 120, Tunisia 129. They show patterns of arbitrary detention, crackdowns on independent media, widespread impunity for violence, and state-enabled persecution of critical voices. These cannot be treated as safe, not as countries of origin, and certainly not as third countries for forced returns.

Independent investigations show conditions in which EU policies may have a devastating effect to the people on the move, including journalists. The 2024 Lighthouse Reports investigation, Desert Dumps, winner of this year’s IJ4EU Impact Award, documented how Black people on the move are abandoned in life-threatening border zones in North Africa as a direct consequence of EU-funded cooperation agreements. Such findings demonstrate that these environments fail the EU’s safety standards in practice, while also revealing how EU policies can contribute to the very dangers now being ignored in return decisions.

ECPMF’s recent study on Transnational Repression (TNR) of journalistists in exile in Germany displays how authoritarian regimes continue to target journalists abroad through digital harassment, surveillance and physical attacks. ECPMF wants to highlight that some of the affected journalists come from exactly the same countries the EU now designates as “safe”. Requests for protection, relocation, asylum and emergency assistance often come from journalists escaping harsh conditions in countries like Afghanistan, Russia and Turkey, and others, but also countries such as Egypt and Bangladesh.

It is important to note that the journalists documented in exile in Germany or the EU represent only a fraction of those at risk, amongst others because EU protection mechanisms for journalists under threat are not accessible – hampering them from relocating to EU Member States.This means that the scope of transnational repression is far bigger than EU-based cases suggest. Countless journalists reach out to the undersigned organisations, from countries such as Sudan or Palestine, facing severe threats without any realistic opportunity to seek safety.

ECPMF already warned about the EU’s position on “safe” third countries on 2 May, World Press Freedom Day, when we raised awareness about transnational repression targeting Egyptian journalist Basma Mostafa. Journalists who already fled due to threats now face additional stress and fear that a return could place their lives in danger. Such policies could be used to silence critical voices and expose threatened journalists to danger and psychological stress.

What needs to change

The EU must guarantee that no journalist, human rights defender, or individual at risk of persecution is returned to countries where they face threats, harassment, or violence. This includes ensuring that asylum claims from these groups are given priority and that their protection needs are fully assessed.

This policy undermines press freedom and puts vulnerable people at immediate risk. For these reasons, we insist that the EU revises and overturns the classification of countries such as Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco, and Tunisia as “safe” for returns, given their documented records of press freedom violations, arbitrary detention, and persecution of journalists and human rights defenders. Alternatively, the EU should consider adding an amendment that exempts journalists fleeing repression in these countries.

All future decisions must uphold the clear, evidence-based and transparent criteria for designating “safe” third countries, taking into consideration the track record of press freedom and other human rights violations. The EU needs to ensure these criteria is applied rigorously in line with international human rights standards and the EU’s own commitments to fundamental rights and the rule of law.

Lastly, we ask the European Commission, Council and Parliament to recognise and address the risks of transnational repression, including digital harassment, surveillance, and physical attacks on journalists in exile. This includes providing safe relocation, legal protection, and emergency assistance to those at risk. The EU can only designate third countries credibly as “safe” when it also invests in upholding the criteria it applies for such qualification by addressing repression in those states and ensuring that fundamental rights are upheld.

Signed by:

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Law and Democracy Support Foundation (LDSF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
Index on Censorship

This statement was coordinated by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) as part of 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.