MEDIA CAFE
AEJ calls for strong, concerted international response against violent suppression of free media in Belarus
On September 3 AEJ Media Freedom Representative William Horsley and AEJ President Otmar Lahodynsky today issued this statement:- “The Association of European Journalists condemns the Belarussian authorities’ violent suppression of free media, targeted attacks...
read moreEU must act on Hungary media market distortion, press freedom groups say
The AEJ is among 16 groups which have written to EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager urging her to take action in response to complaints that the Hungarian government has violated EU state aid rules on abuse of state advertising and aid to public...
read moreAEJ protests against the ruination of Hungary’s Index news portal
The international Association of European Journalists issues this joint statement with the Board of the AEJ Hungarian Section: The AEJ and its national section in Hungary express our support and solidarity with Mr. Szabolcs Dull, who was dismissed on 22 July as the...
read moreEESC: EU law should set safe boundaries for high-risk AI
Biometric recognition for tracking, surveillance and detecting emotions should have no place in Europe's human-centric approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI), says the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in its response to the European Commission's White...
read moreSoviet and Russian Disinformation – EU Council reading references
The EU Council has launched a series of reading lists to provide an overview of disinformation research. Disinformation was indeed extensively used by Soviet Russia during the Cold War and even before that. After the demise of the Soviet Union, Western governments...
read moreStop use of SLAPPs: NGOs and media groups express concern about legal threats against EUobserver
Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners, journalist bodies, free expression and journalist support organisations are concerned about the legal threats made against EUobserver in Luxembourg and Belgium and call to stop the use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public...
read moreLetter ahead of Germany’s Presidency of European Council
With our partners of the EU Media Advocacy Group where our AEJ Belgium president Lieven Taillie represents AEJ International we ask the upcoming Germany Presidency to go for an ambitious the EU's long-term budget (Multi-annual Financial Framework - MFF) that reserves...
read moreJoint statement on the EU’s long-term budget and media sector recovery
Press freedom, media development, and journalists’ organisations call on Member States to adopt ambitious EU budget for independent journalism and recovery of the media sector Following the launch by the European Commission of its Recovery Plan for Europe, press...
read moreNGOs urge the commission EU Anti SLAPP measures
Dear Ms Lindholm, The undersigned NGOs welcome the Commission’s commitment to address the threat of vexatious litigation against journalists, activists and others. The weaponization of the law by powerful economic actors has for too long resulted in the suppression...
read moreCouncil of Europe chief says countries must not use Covid-19 crisis to silence journalists
In response to the launch of the 2020 Annual Report by media freedom organisations "Hands Off Press Freedom", which documented a surge in violence and intimidation of journalists, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejcinovic Buric, has said...
read moreCOE Annual report for 2020
The group of international media freedom NGOs working on the Council of Europe’s platform for the safety of journalists will launch their annual report for 2020 – entitled “Hands off press freedom: Attacks on media in Europe must not become a new normal” – via an...
read moreJoin Difference Day 2020 #DD20
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Université Libre de Bruxelles and Erasmushogeschool Brussel, IHECS, BOZAR, & Evens Foundation, together with other partners such as EPC MPA, EBU, Bertelsmann, European Commission, UNESCO,...
read moreAccess Now releases recommendations to fight misinformation
On 21 April, Access Now published Fighting misinformation and defending free expression during COVID-19: recommendations for states — a series of recommendations for protecting freedom of expression and opinion and the right to impart and receive information. “Hasty...
read moreIdentifying Fake News in Coronavirus
The OECD Forum Network defines fake news as: “journalism or information that either deliberately or unintentionally misleads people and distorts reality by spreading false information, hoaxes, propaganda, or misrepresentation of facts” The Cambridge Dictionary’s fake...
read moreResources for journalists in times of coronaviurs pandemic
Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Meanwhile, AEJ Belgium recommends thtat you check out the following items: The International Press Institute (IPI) launched – on Tuesday (24 March) – a new web page to track attacks on journalists and restrictions...
read moreAEJ report: Twenty-four rights-groups call on Turkey to release all those arbitrarily detained, now at risk of Covid-19
A new statement by 24 concerned international groups, including the AEJ, has deplored Turkey’s failure to include journalists and human rights defenders among the 90,000 prisoners freed this week in response to the raised health risks in prisons caused by the...
read moreGreek journalist Sofia Kartali Detained for Two Days in Turkey
On 1 March 2020, Greek freelance video reporter Sofia Kartali was arrested by Turkish police while recording the surge of would-be migrants massing at Elcili Koyu near the border with Greece in the hope of crossing it. On presentation of her Greek identity document...
read moreCall for Europe’s leaders to protect free flow of information to tackle COVID-19
Press freedom partner organisations including the AEJ have published an Open Letter addressed to the heads of the main EU institutions to express profound concerns about the dangers of governments taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to punish independent and...
read moreLetter from AEJ President
Dear colleagues, dear friends: The last weeks were indeed important: for Europe and for our association: In December we had a very good AEJ-congress in the prestigious UNESCO-headquarter in Paris. Despite the strike all went well and almost all participants arrived...
read moreMinutes of General Assembly, Association of European Journalists
Minutes of General Assembly, Association of European Journalists Jean Monnet house, Bazoches sur Guyonne, Houjarray, Dec 7 2019 Opening remarks by Otmar Lahodynsky, AEJ President Lahodynsky said he felt proud and honoured to find himself and the GA in the country...
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