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

Public letter: Bosnian public broadcaster BHRT requires urgent action…

Public letter: Bosnian public broadcaster BHRT requires urgent action from Office of High Representative

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners have voiced serious concern today in a public letter to the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, over the lack of political action on the future of the state broadcaster, Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT). We called on him to use his legal authority to secure a viable solution amid the continued absence of institutional response and political will within Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions.

21.01.2026

Dear High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Mr Christian Schmidt,

 

The undersigned media freedom and journalist organisations from across Europe are writing to you today to express our consternation regarding the absence of political action regarding the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state-level broadcaster, Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT). With this letter, we urge you to take action and use your legal powers to find a viable solution in the absence of institutional response and political will within the BiH institutions.

 

We are aware that for years, BHRT has been facing serious financial challenges due to a deep institutional crisis and debts primarily incurred by entity-level broadcaster RTRS, which has brought the national public broadcaster to the brink of collapse. Politicians have openly disregarded the law, resulting in only minimal funds reaching BHRT, against a backdrop of inter-entity funding disputes.

 

According to BHRT staff, the situation has now reached a point where accounts will be frozen and where employees work with the constant fear of not receiving their minimum salaries and of losing their job in a couple of months.

 

The undersigned partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) support demands by the Independent Union of Workers at BHRT in calling on you to use your mandate and Bonn powers to end the agony of the public service media. 

 

Previous calls by the MFRR to national authorities and EU institutions to engage in remedying the situation have not yielded results, which is why we now call on you, as High Representative, to act.

 

Having in mind that the procedures are being obstructed and blocked at the Ministerial and Parliamentary levels, leaving little space for a legitimate action on a national level, we urge you to take the initiative and put an end to this untenable situation for BHRT workers and citizens alike. The situation requires immediate solutions, and you can use your Bonn powers to provide a much-needed temporary co-financing to preserve what is left of independent public broadcasting service on a national level.

 

A public service media is not only a media or an institution: it is a cornerstone of a democratic society. With general elections scheduled in October 2026, the disappearance of BHRT would mean the loss of an important source of reliable information at a critical moment for voters and would further deteriorate the country’s media space, leaving it vulnerable to potential foreign influences through controlled media.

 

The undersigned organisations reiterate their solidarity with BHRT journalists and media workers who keep informing Bosnian citizens despite the dramatic conditions they work in. We join them in urging immediate action to save the public broadcaster and ultimately protect the interests of Bosnian citizens in their access to independent, pluralistic and reliable information.

Signed by:

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

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.

Czechia: Media freedom groups urge Czechia’s government to uphold…

Czechia: Media freedom groups urge Czechia’s government to uphold public media’s independence

As Czechia’s new government prepares to reshape the funding and governance of its public broadcasters, press freedom groups caution that replacing the licence fee with state budget funding would expose ČT and ČRo to political pressure and weaken the editorial independence guaranteed under EU law.

12.01.2026

12 January 2026

 

Andrej Babiš, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic

Oto Klempíř, Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic

 

SUBJECT: Future of public media in Czechia

 

Dear Prime Minister Babiš and Minister of Culture Klempíř, 

 

Ahead of this week’s parliamentary vote on your new government’s programme, which includes the provision to abolish the licence fee that funds Czechia’s public media, we, the undersigned national and international press freedom organisations, urge you to uphold the secure and viable funding of Czechia’s public media system, and refrain from implementing major overhauls which would undermine the organisations’ independence and the trust that audiences place in them.

 

Independent public service media are an essential cornerstone of democracies worldwide, producing impartial and accurate fact-based news and information, fostering an informed citizenry, and providing a universal service to all audiences.

 

Article 5 of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), in full force since August 2025, requires the European Union Member States including Czechia to “ensure that public service media providers are editorially and functionally independent and provide in an impartial manner a plurality of information and opinions to their audiences.” EMFA also obliges states to ensure public media have “adequate, sustainable and predictable financial resources”.

 

Despite the commitment to “preserve [the] independence” of the public service media expressed in the government’s programme, our organisations are concerned about the specific measures in the manifesto as well as by proposals put forward by some parties within your government ahead of the election.The following measures have the potential to undermine the independence of the Czech public media: 

 

  • Replacing the licence fee with direct state budget funding;
  • Including Czech public media in the competence of the Supreme Audit Office.

 

Regarding the proposal to replace the licence fee, we note there are different positions within the government on this issue. We believe that transitioning from a licence fee funding model to one directly linked to the state budget increases the capacity for a government to exert financial pressure on public media, and use funding as a way of threatening the organisation’s output.

 

Although many independent public broadcasters are funded via this mechanism, there must be clear and effective guardrails in place which maintain their independence from government. EMFA Article 5 stipulates that “funding procedures for public service media providers are based on transparent and objective criteria laid down in advance. … Those financial resources shall be such that the editorial independence of public service media providers is safeguarded.”

 

Additionally, we are concerned that changing the funding model would undo the long-overdue funding increase that passed in 2025. It was the first funding increase in two decades for ČRo and 17 years for ČT. In an era marred by increased disinformation and geopolitical instability, public media needs to be properly financed to deliver the level of services that audiences expect and need. Lack of adequate funding results in declining services and contributes to a greater struggle for relevance.

 

While there is a political consensus on the legitimate proposal of your government to include the Czech public media in the competence of the Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ), we are concerned that a financial audit could be abused to exert political pressures on the broadcasters. We urge you to ensure that any financial audit is transparent, and isn’t instrumentalised to decrease public media’s budget, as has happened in Lithuania.

 

Overall, reforming public media can have serious implications. In Slovakia, the overhaul of RTVS – now named STVR – has seen greater direct government control in the governance affairs of the company. It led to the firing of the director general, and the disbandment of the board. In 2025, a close government ally was elected to the position of director general by the new board in a closed-door vote. However, the EMFA requires that the processes for appointing and dismissing heads of management or management boards guarantee public media’s independence.

 

ČT and ČRo retain the highest levels of trust amongst Czech citizens across all media companies and are a model for public service media in the region. We believe the proposed reforms, without strong and robust safeguards for editorial and organisational independence, pose clear risks.

 

Our organisations urge your new administration to uphold the independence of public media, to retain its current level of funding, and allow ČT and ČRo to flourish in their distribution of independent, fact-based news and information. We urge you to respect the essential pillars of public media as stipulated in EMFA.

Signed by:

  • Public Media Alliance (PMA)
  • International Press Institute (IPI)
  • Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
  • Free Press Unlimited (FPU) 
  • European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
  • European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
  • Lobbio
  • Hlídač státu
  • Syndicate of Journalists of Czech Republic
  • OBC Transeuropa

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.

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.

MFRR Summit 2025 report on media freedom in Europe

MFRR Summit 2025 Report on Media Freedom in Europe

This report offers a recap of the discussions and key takeaways from the MFRR Summit 2025. This year’s Summit fed into EU Democracy Shield policy discussions, highlighting journalism as vital democratic infrastructure. Drawing on MFRR’s monitoring, missions, and policy work, the event explored five key pillars of media resilience: economic viability, safety, legal protection, AI governance, and implementation of safeguards.

10.12.2025

The summit took place on October 13, in Brussels, and this report documents how journalists and media outlets across EU member states and candidate countries are confronting mounting economic pressure, legal harassment, physical and digital attacks, and threats emerging as a result of changing digital space. Drawing on five thematic panels and a special focus on Ukraine, it connects on-the-ground monitoring with concrete policy debates on issues such as the European Media Freedom Act, anti-SLAPP measures, spyware, and foreign agent laws, offering both an overview of violations and a roadmap for strengthening journalism as a vital part democratic processes.​

Read the Report

This report was coordinated by the ECPMF and IPI 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.

Open letter to Croatian Prime Minister Plenković: MFRR raises…

Open letter to Croatian Prime Minister Plenković: MFRR raises alarm over unlawful political pressure against weekly Novosti

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium, expresses grave concern regarding recent statements by the Homeland Movement that targeted the weekly newspaper Novosti, the only print media for the Serb minority in Croatia.

05.12.2025

Dear Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković, 

 

We, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium, express our grave concern regarding recent statements by the Homeland Movement that targeted the weekly newspaper Novosti,  the only print media for the Serb minority in Croatia. Specifically, MP Mlinarić publicly announced the Homeland Movement’s intention to completely abolish state funding for Novosti starting in 2026. This statement followed reports by Novi List that the president of the Homeland Movement, Ivan Penava, had allegedly pressured minority members of the Council for National Minorities not to ‘protect the interests of Novosti’.

 

Such an announcement, including claims of political influence over the decisions of the Council for National Minorities, constitutes an unlawful interference in the independence of a public institution and a direct violation of the Constitutional Act on the Rights of National Minorities. 

 

Financing of minority media must be conducted through an open public call and remain completely independent of political pressure in line with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). 

 

The MFRR already issued a warning about political pressure after Novosti‘s 2025 budget was dramatically reduced by 35% compared to the previous year, despite a 13.3% increase in the Council for National Minorities’ overall annual budget. We viewed this reduction as being driven by the far-right Homeland Movement, which included calls for defunding the magazine in its election manifesto due to its critical reporting. 

 

During our in-person mission to Croatia last May, the continuous targeting of Novosti was a crucial topic in our meetings, where we expressed absolute alarm at the rising signs of increased political pressure on the media and journalists.  

 

Media freedom is not only a cornerstone of democracy but also an international obligation of the Republic of Croatia as a member state of the European Union. Political pressure on the media — especially on minority media — represents a serious breach of European standards and a threat to media pluralism.  

 

 An alert regarding the situation has already been submitted to the Mapping Media Freedom and the Council of Europe safety of journalists platform. 

 

Therefore, we urge Croatian authorities to ensure the independence of the Council for National Minorities, guarantee the protection of minority media, and cease any form of political pressure on journalists and media outlets.

Signed by:

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

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.

Lithuania: Media freedom groups raise alarm as political pressure…

Lithuania: Media freedom groups raise alarm as political pressure campaign on LRT widens

Proposed legal amendments to the law governing Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT risk weakening its editorial independence and disrupting its sustainable financing, the undersigned partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) warn today.

4.12.2025

Earlier this week, LRT journalists announced a protest scheduled for 9 December in front of the Parliament to oppose proposed changes to the Law on the Lithuanian National Radio and Television, which they say would “dismantle the safeguards that protect LRT’s independence.”

 

The protest is organised in reaction to two amendments initiated by the governing Nemunas Dawn party, which is part of the ruling parliamentary majority, which targeted both LRT’s budget and the rules governing the dismissal of its Director General.

 

On 25 November, lawmakers voted to freeze LRT’s annual budget at €79.6 million for 2026, 2027, and 2028, overriding the existing mechanism that would have increased the broadcaster’s funding by roughly 11% next year, according to LRT. The budget change was made without proper consultation with LRT management.

 

Meanwhile, a proposed legal amendment that would lower the threshold for dismissing the Director General, allowing the LRT Council to remove the head of the broadcaster with a simple majority rather than the current two-thirds requirement, was passed the first reading in Parliament on 27 November. We are concerned that this would open the door to greater political pressure on the LRT’s management and potentially violate Article 5 of the European Media Freedom Act, which obliges Member States to ensure that procedures for the appointment and dismissal of PSM leadership “aim to guarantee the independence of the public service media.”

 

Our organisations further warn that these legislative reforms follow the results of an internal audit conducted in 2025 to assess LRT’s performance, particularly its “political neutrality” for the period 2021-2024. The audit report, published in November, identified areas for improvement but overall found that the public broadcaster operates efficiently and transparently, and did not identify any editorial bias.

 

As feared, in the recent weeks politicians from Nemunas Dawn and other coalition parties have instrumentalised the audit findings to attack the public broadcaster, question its funding and governance, and justify attempts to increase political control over LRT. Our organisations repeatedly raised concerns about the scope, nature and justification for such an audit and its potential impact.

 

Ahead of the planned strike, MFRR partners urge political parties to reject the proposed legislative amendment to the LRT law. Moving forward, any such proposed changes should be put to public consultation, with input from expert national and international journalists and media freedom groups, as well as input from LRT management itself. MFRR partners will continue to closely monitor the situation and alert European institutions about emerging threats to media freedom in Lithuania.

Signed by:

  • European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
  • European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
  • Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
  • 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.

Ukraine: Peace plan must ensure accountability for crimes against…

Ukraine: Peace plan must ensure accountability for crimes against journalists

As negotiations continue over a peace plan to end the Russian war on Ukraine, Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and partner organisations strongly oppose any proposals on granting amnesty for potential war crimes committed in the course of Russia’s full-scale invasion, especially for those against journalists.

04.12.2025

Our organisations renew our demand that those responsible for the killing of at least 16 journalists, the serious injury of dozens more, as well as for other attacks on media infrastructure, are identified and held accountable for potential war crimes under international law and relevant domestic law. Investigations should rely, among other sources, on the expertise of Ukrainian journalists and media, who have already contributed to uncovering facts linked to potential war crimes targeting journalists.

 

We make this call in reaction to the initial 28-point plan proposed by the Trump administration that contained a provision giving “full amnesty” for all acts committed during the course of the war. While later reports suggest that this provision is no longer on the negotiating table, MFRR partners stress that any attempt to introduce blanket amnesty that covers potential war crimes committed against journalists, or civilians, would represent a severe breach of international law including international humanitarian law and relevant human rights obligations. 

 

All warring parties must protect journalists, as civilians, during times of armed conflict, according to international humanitarian law. The deliberate targeting of journalists, as civilians, as well as media infrastructure, constitutes a war crime, and must be investigated as such under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and relevant domestic law. Any form of amnesty for such violations would lack legal grounds.

 

In addition to supporting war crimes investigations by the ICC and the Ukrainian judiciary, our organisations endorse efforts by the Council of Europe (CoE) to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, which would facilitate the investigation of crimes not covered by the mandate of the ICC. We urge CoE member states to accelerate the process of the creation of this tribunal, which should have all means at its disposal to conduct investigations into crimes committed in Ukraine, including those committed against journalists and the media.

 

Due to Russia’s full-scale invasion, at least 16 media workers have been killed while carrying out their professional duties covering this conflict – including Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna, who died after being tortured while in Russian captivity in 2024. Of these 16 media workers, some were executed, while others died from artillery fire or lately due to Russian first-person view (FPV) drone attacks. This includes French photojournalist Antoni Lallican, who was killed by a Russian FPV drone in eastern Ukraine in October 2025, and Ukrainian reporters Aliona Hramova and Yevhen Karmazin who were killed in another Russian drone attack in Donetsk region weeks later.

 

As of November 2025, the MFRR has also documented 53 cases in which Russian armed forces destroyed Ukrainian media infrastructure. We further note that peace discussions this month follow one of the deadliest periods for journalists in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. As reported by monitoring bodies in Ukraine, this increase in targeted attacks on journalists wearing PRESS vests has created an increasingly dangerous security situation for journalists and media workers reporting from the front lines.

 

We therefore strongly urge all parties involved in peace deal discussions – including the U.S. and the E.U – not to agree to any measures granting amnesty for war crimes committed against journalists, as civilians. Any such concessions would dramatically undermine international treaties and international humanitarian law, set a dangerous legal precedent, and send a signal to the world that attacks against journalists and civilians can go unpunished.

Signed by:

  • International Press Institute (IPI)
  • European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
  • Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
  • Institute of Mass Information (IMI)
  • Reporters sans frontières (RSF) / Reporters without Borders
  • Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
  • ARTICLE 19 Europe

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.

Bosnia media freedom

Open letter: Bosnian public broadcaster BHRT in the final…

Open letter: Bosnian public broadcaster BHRT in the final stage of collapse, EU must take swift action

27 November 2025

Dear President of the European Commission, Ms Ursula von der Leyen,

Dear Commissioner for Enlargement, Ms Marta Kos,

We are writing to you today to express our serious concerns regarding the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state-level broadcaster, Radio-Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT). Our letter comes as BHRT staff today protest in front of Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina to raise alarm about the dire financial situation and call for institutional support and immediate action that will end years of disrespecting the Law.

For years, BHRT has been facing serious financial challenges due to a deep institutional crisis and debts primarily incurred by entity-level broadcaster RTRS, which has brought the national public broadcaster to the brink of collapse. Politicians have openly disregarded the law, resulting in only minimal funds reaching BHRT, against a backdrop of inter-entity funding disputes.

According to staff, the situation has now reached a point where accounts may be frozen and electricity and gas cut off at any moment. On 21 November, programs were interrupted for three hours due to the loss of power supply and the intermittent non-functioning of the entire system – most likely because of water penetrating the electrical installations during heavy rains. BHRT’s central building is in very poor condition and lacks funds for maintenance. The entity public service FTV, which operates from the same building, also experienced an interruption. Furthermore, the financial situation of BHRT puts some 780 employees from the entire state in a situation of constant precarity and fear of losing even the minimum income they have.

In an appeal published on 19 November 2025, employees called for personal and institutional responsibility, denouncing the inaction that contributes to maintaining the existing blockade and prolonging the unbearable situation.

As BHRT staff protests today, our organisations call on you to urge the Bosnian and Herzegovinian government to ensure long-term support and independence to this public interest media, by implementing and further improving law on public service, in line with European standards as required by the EU integration process, as well as promised in recently adopted Reform Agenda

Public service media are key pillars in media environments in democratic countries. The obligation of governments to ensure a sustainable and independent public media service is a prerequisite for accession to the European Union and compliance with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). If urgent steps are not taken to remedy the issue, BHRT faces the risk of closure.

In order to protect the democratic system in Bosnia and Herzegovina and maintain EU accession aspirations, we urge you, Madam President and Madam Commissioner, to use the Enlargement Package findings and demand action from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions to ensure a regular and fair distribution of RTV fees according to law, allowing BHRT to receive the funds it is legally entitled to. Bosnian authorities need to promptly adopt a new law that guarantees BHRT’s long-term political and financial independence. RTRS should respect the decision of local courts and pay off the 50 million EUR debt to the BHRT.

These would be just first steps in providing both short-term and long-term legislative solutions that will ensure survival and sustainability of the public broadcaster based on the principles of transparency and editorial independence.

The undersigned organisations stand in solidarity with BHRT journalists and media workers who keep informing Bosnian citizens despite the dramatic conditions they work in. We join them in urging immediate action to save the public broadcaster and ultimately protect the interests of Bosnian citizens in their access to independent, pluralistic and reliable information.

 

Sincerely,

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

This open letter 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.

Turkey: 7th International press freedom mission concludes

Turkey: 7th International press freedom mission concludes

Ankara, November 26, 2025 – A mission delegation composed of eight international press freedom, free expression and human rights organisations has concluded a joint press freedom mission to Türkiye. The delegation met with journalists, civil society, political party representatives, MPs, the judicial branch, regulatory bodies, and foreign diplomatic missions to discuss Türkiye’s rapidly deteriorating media freedom environment.

26.11.2025

Türkçe açıklama aşağıdadır…

This seventh international press freedom mission to Türkiye, held in Ankara from 24 to 26 November 2025, was led by the International Press Institute (IPI) and included Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19 Europe, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) and Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) as part of Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO).

 

During the visit, the delegation held meetings with the Turkish Constitutional Court, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye, several foreign diplomatic missions, and representatives of Türkiye’s political landscape, including MPs from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM). The mission also met with the Association of Journalists in Ankara as well as members of the broader journalism community.

 

Despite multiple requests, government institutions, including the Directorate of Communications, the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, and several other ministries, as well as representatives of the AKP and MHP, declined to meet with the delegation or did not respond.

 

The mission delegation raised for consideration a wide variety of issues that have led to a further decline in press freedom in Türkiye, since our last mission in November 2024. The situation this year has been marked by a sharp escalation in political pressure, judicial harassment and censorship targeting the press.

 

Since 19 March 2025, high-profile detentions, including the imprisonment of opposition mayors and municipal officials that were largely viewed as politically motivated, were accompanied by large-scale protests that authorities met with mass detentions and restrictions on coverage. Journalists documenting the events faced early-morning police raids, physical assaults, and attempts from authorities to silence them, such as the warning from the former RTÜK chair that failure to “remain free from political bias” while covering protests would result in maximum penalties, including the revocation of licenses.

 

The mission delegation also highlighted a troubling pattern of punitive actions against critical outlets and journalists. Journalists across the country continue to face assault, threats, and intimidation, while criminal investigations and prosecutions against them remain commonplace. Prolonged arbitrary pre-trial detention and politically motivated investigations and prosecutions, such as those against journalists Furkan Karabay and Fatih Altaylı, reinforce the climate of fear and self-censorship.

 

Regulatory bodies continue to leverage their authority to silence dissent. As an institution with eroded independence that urgently needs reforms to restore its autonomy, RTÜK imposed heavy fines and broadcast bans targeting critical television outlets, a practice that deprives the public of critical voices. The Press Advertising Agency’s restrictive and one-sided criteria for distributing public advertising further strained the survival of local independent media. Although the Constitutional Court annulled parts of the agency’s mandate, economic pressure continues to serve as a tool of control. We also note with alarm the bandwidth throttling of social media platforms and messaging services during events of significant public interest, and the resurgence of “foreign influence” narratives used to justify interference in independent journalism.

 

The delegation urges Turkish authorities to end the judicial harassment of journalists, fully implement the decisions of the Constitutional Court on freedom of expression at all levels, and guarantee due process and fair trial rights. We call on regulators to cease arbitrary sanctions and repeat that they must operate independently and transparently. Türkiye must safeguard open debate, restore unrestricted digital access, and stop vilifying civil society or the press through vague accusations under its overly broad and vague criminal provisions including those in its anti-terrorism law, in violation of the country’s constitutional and international human rights obligations to protect the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. Türkiye should also respect international standards and practices in issuing press cards as a free decision of journalist associations and media.

 

Ensuring a safe, free and pluralistic media environment is essential to democracy, the rule of law, and the meaningful protection of human rights. The steps taken in 2025 have moved Türkiye further away from these standards. At the same time, the mission delegation underscores that ongoing peace negotiations could serve as a crucial opportunity to advance comprehensive reforms that strengthen journalists’ rights, safeguard pluralism and help rebuild respect for fundamental freedoms. We call on the authorities to reverse the current trajectory and to engage meaningfully with domestic and international stakeholders to uphold press freedom and freedom of expression.

Signed by:

  • International Press Institute (IPI)
  • Amnesty International
  • ARTICLE 19 Europe
  • Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
  • European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) as part of MFRR
  • Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) as part of MFRR
  • Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
  • South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)

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.

Türkiye: Uluslararası basın özgürlüğü misyonu ziyaretleri tamamlandı

 

Basın özgürlüğü, ifade özgürlüğü ve insan hakları odaklı çalışmalar yürüten sekiz uluslararası kuruluştan oluşan heyetimiz Türkiye’deki basın özgürlüğü misyonunu tamamladı. Heyet, Türkiye’nin giderek kötüleşen medya özgürlüğü koşullarına ilişkin endişelerini gazetecilere, sivil toplum temsilcilerine, siyasi parti yetkililerine, milletvekillerine, yargı organlarına, düzenleyici kuruluşlara ve diplomatik temsilciliklere iletti.

 

Uluslararası Basın Enstitüsü (IPI) öncülüğünde 24-26 Kasım 2025’te Ankara’da düzenlenen yedinci uluslararası basın özgürlüğü misyonuna Uluslararası Af Örgütü, ARTICLE 19, Gazetecileri Koruma Komitesi (CPJ), Avrupa Basın ve Medya Özgürlüğü Merkezi (ECPMF), Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), Sınır Tanımayan Gazeteciler (RSF) ve Güney Doğu Avrupa Medya Örgütü (SEEMO) katıldı.

 

Heyetin ziyaret ettiği kurumlar arasında Anayasa Mahkemesi, Radyo ve Televizyon Üst Kurulu (RTÜK), Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP), Halkların Eşitlik ve Demokrasi Partisi (DEM) ve bağımsız milletvekilleriyle Avrupa Birliği Türkiye Delegasyonu ve yabancı diplomatik temsilcilikler yer aldı. Ayrıca, Ankara Gazeteciler Cemiyeti ev sahipliğinde yapılan görüşmelerdeyse Türkiye’den basın özgürlüğü kuruluşlarıyla gazeteciler yer aldı.

 

İletişim Başkanlığı, Adalet Bakanlığı, İçişleri Bakanlığı ve diğer bakanlıklar da dahil çeşitli devlet kurumlarının yanı sıra Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP) ve Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi (MHP) temsilcilerine gönderilen resmi görüşme taleplerine ya yanıt alınamadı ya da görüşme talepleri reddedildi.

 

Yapılan görüşmelerde, Kasım 2024’teki son misyondan bu yana Türkiye’de basın özgürlüğünü daha da zayıflatan çeşitli meseleler gündeme alındı. Heyet, 2025’te basına yönelik siyasi baskıların, yargı eliyle uygulanan yıldırma politikalarının ve sansürün artışına dikkat çekti.

 

19 Mart 2025’ten bu yana yaşanan gelişmelerde, muhalefet belediye başkanlarının ve yetkililerinin tutuklandığı, siyasi saikli olmakla eleştirilen sansasyonel davalar geniş çaplı protestolara yol açtı. Yetkililer, bu protestolara kitlesel gözaltılar ve haber kısıtlamalarıyla karşılık verdi. Toplumsal olayları belgeleyen gazeteciler sabah saatlerinde yapılan ev baskınlarıyla gözaltına alındı, fiziksel saldırıya uğradı. Eski RTÜK Başkanı’nın, protestoları haberleştirirken siyasi tarafsızlıktan sapmaları halinde en ağır yaptırımların, hatta lisans iptallerinin uygulanacağı yönündeki uyarısı da dikkati çekiciydi.

 

Heyet, eleştirel medya kuruluşlarına ve gazetecilere yönelik kaygı verici cezaları da gündeme getirdi. Gazeteciler gözdağı, tehdit ve fiziksel saldırılara maruz kalmaya devam ederken açılan davalar da yaygınlığını koruyor. Gazeteci Furkan Karabay ve Fatih Altaylı örneklerindeki gibi, uzun süren tutuklu yargılama ve siyasi saikle ilerleyen cezai süreçler korku ve otosansür ortamını pekiştiriyor.

 

Düzenleyici kurumlar da yetkilerini kötüye kullanarak muhalif sesleri susturmaya devam ediyor. Bağımsızlığı ciddi ölçüde aşınmış, özerkliğini yeniden tesis etmek için kapsamlı reformlara ihtiyaç duyan RTÜK’ün, eleştirel televizyon kanallarına uyguladığı ağır para cezaları, yayın yasakları ve ekran karartmaları kamuoyunu bağımsız seslere erişmekten mahrum bırakıyor. Basın İlan Kurumu’nun (BİK) kamu ilanlarının dağıtımındaki kısıtlayıcı kriterleri, yerel ve bağımsız medya kuruluşlarının ayakta kalma mücadelesini zorlaştırıyor. Anayasa Mahkemesi, BİK’in bazı yetkilerini iptal etmiş olsa da ekonomik baskı bir kontrol aracı olarak varlığını sürdürüyor.

 

Heyet ayrıca toplumsal öneme sahip olaylar esnasında sosyal medya platformları ve mesajlaşma uygulamalarına erişimin kısıtlanmasının ve bağımsız gazeteciliğe yönelik müdahaleleri meşrulaştırmak için yeniden dolaşıma sokulan “etki ajanlığı” söylemlerinin endişe verici biçimde arttığını vurguladı.

 

Yetkililer, yargı eliyle gazetecileri yıldırma politikalarının önüne geçip, Anayasa Mahkemesi’nin ifade özgürlüğüne ilişkin olumlu kararlarını uygulamalı ve adil yargılanma hakkını güvence altına almalı. Düzenleyici kuruluşları keyfi yaptırımları sonlandırmaya ve basın denetim organlarının bağımsız ve şeffaf bir şekilde faaliyet göstermesini sağlamaya davet ediyoruz. Türkiye özgür tartışma ortamını korumalı, dijital erişim sınırlamalarına son vermeli ve hem sivil toplumu hem de basını terörle mücadele de dahil muğlak ceza hükümleriyle hedef almaktan vazgeçmeli. Ayrıca uluslararası standartlara uyarak basın kartlarının gazeteci dernekleri ve medya kuruluşlarının özgür kararıyla verilmesinin önünü açılmalı.

 

Özgür, çoğulcu ve güvenli bir medya ortamı demokrasi, hukukun üstünlüğü ve insan hakları için hayati öneme sahip. 2025’teki gelişmeler Türkiye’yi bu standartlardan daha da uzaklaştırdı. Fakat halihazırda devam eden barış müzakereleri, gazetecilerin haklarını güçlendirmenin, çoğulculuğu güvence altına almanın ve temel özgürlüklere riayeti yeniden tesis etmenin önünü açacak kapsamlı reformlar konusunda yol almak için fırsatlar sunuyor. Misyon heyeti olarak yetkilileri, Türkiye’nin mevcut gidişatını tersine çevirerek basın ve ifade özgürlüğünü korumak için ulusal ve uluslararası taraflarla işbirliği yapmaya çağırıyoruz.

İmzalayanlar:

  • Uluslararası Basın Enstitüsü (IPI)
  • ARTICLE 19 Europe
  • Avrupa Basın ve Medya Özgürlüğü Merkezi (ECPMF) — Medya Özgürlüğü Acil Müdahale (MFRR) partneri
  • Gazetecileri Koruma Komitesi (CPJ)
  • Güney Doğu Avrupa Medya Örgütü (SEEMO)
  • Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) — Medya Özgürlüğü Acil Müdahale (MFRR) partneri
  • Sınır Tanımayan Gazeteciler (RSF)
  • Uluslararası Af Örgütü

Bu açıklama, Medya Özgürlüğü Acil Müdahale (MFRR) tarafından koordine edilmiştir. MFRR, AB üye ülkeleri ve aday ülkelerde basın ve medya özgürlüğünün ihlallerini takip eden, izleyen ve bunlara müdahale eden Avrupa çapında bir mekanizmadır.