While Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to fuel deadly risks for journalists in occupied territories, EU nations face escalating pressures from political interference, legal harassment, and digital threats. The Platform documented 266 alerts in 2024, including physical attacks, detentions, and legal harassment, slightly fewer than 2023 (285) but higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Journalists covering the War in Ukraine faced grave risks, including physical violence, detention, and censorship, particularly in Russian-occupied territories. Increasing use of spyware (e.g., Pegasus) and digital surveillance tools threatens source confidentiality and journalists’ safety. Then, Journalists exiled from Russia and Belarus faced harassment, extradition threats, and attacks, with Georgia emerging as a risky haven for displaced media workers. State propaganda and AI-generated content were also weaponized to manipulate public opinion and undermine trust in independent journalism. Finally, governments in some countries co-opted media through restrictive laws, funding controls, and political interference. Visit the platform here
Top countries for alerts
Georgia saw the sharpest rise in alerts (triple 2023’s numbers), driven by attacks on journalists during pro-EU protests and state-led repression. Key issues included physical assaults and obstruction of reporters covering demonstrations, legal threats and legislative repression through laws undermining media independence and EU integration efforts.
In 2024, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, and Slovakia emerged as the most concerning jurisdictions. France led with 125 alerts, driven by attacks on journalists covering protests and blocked access to events, including environmental demonstrations and election-related content. Germany followed with 98 alerts, citing verbal abuse, physical assaults, and surveillance of reporters investigating far-right groups. Italy’s 89 alerts highlighted a surge in strategic lawsuits (SLAPPs) against investigative journalists and political attempts to sway public broadcaster RAI.
Hungary, a long-standing symbol of democratic erosion, recorded 76 alerts tied to systemic “media capture.” The government’s manipulation of regulatory frameworks, defamation lawsuits, and financial pressure on independent outlets has crippled critical reporting. Slovakia, with 54 alerts, faced politicised attacks on journalists amid contentious election cycles, including verbal threats from lawmakers and restrictive legislation. The report identified recurring threats: 25% of EU alerts involved blocked access to information, while legal harassment via SLAPPs—often targeting corruption exposés—spiked to 319 cases continent-wide. Despite the EU’s groundbreaking anti-SLAPP directive and the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), enforcement remains sluggish, leaving gaps in accountability. Censorship and self-censorship, particularly around environmental and electoral reporting, further undermine transparency.
Beyond the EU, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Serbia, and Georgia topped the list with the highest alerts. Ukraine reported 40 alerts, primarily from Russian-occupied regions where journalists face kidnappings and killings. Russia’s 32 alerts reflected intensified censorship of war coverage and transnational repression, while Turkey’s 28 alerts included mass detentions and legal persecution. Serbia and Georgia, though aspiring to EU membership, saw sharp deteriorations: Serbia’s 20 alerts included AI-driven disinformation campaigns, while Georgia’s 18 alerts stemmed from violent crackdowns on journalists during pro-democracy protests. The Balkans and Eastern Europe remain flashpoints, with Serbia and Georgia exemplifying how democratic backsliding fuels press freedom violations. In contrast, Poland showed tentative progress post-2023 elections, though reforms to depoliticize state media stalled.
The report urges EU institutions to accelerate the EMFA and anti-SLAPP measures, enforce transparency in media ownership, and combat spyware misuse. For neighbouring states, it emphasizes the need to align press freedom standards with EU accession requirements.
As wars, authoritarianism, and digital disinformation converge, the Council of Europe’s findings underscore a sobering reality: without urgent intervention, the erosion of press freedom could irreparably weaken democracy itself.
Main picture by CPJ on X
