Journalists Matter, Council of Europe Campaign for the Safety of Journalists
The Council of Europe encourages member states to transpose the Campaign to the national context. Without each member’s committed and effective effort at national level, through the development of the so-called ‘national chapter’, the Campaign cannot reach its goals.
In this section, we will present developments in Norway:
National Focal Point
Mr Espen BRYNSRUD, Head of Department Norwegian Union of Journalists
National Campaign Committee
The Ministry of Culture and Equality, which has appointed the Norwegian Focal Point for the Journalists Matter campaign, has opted not to establish a formal National Campaign Committee. Instead, the ministry facilitates regular dialogue meetings focused on journalist safety and potential initiatives to strengthen protection measures.
These meetings bring together key stakeholders, including the Norwegian Union of Journalists (NJ), the Norwegian Media Businesses’ Association (MBL), the Norwegian Editors’ Association (Norsk Redaktørforening), and NRK. Between meetings, the Ministry and the Norwegian Union of Journalists maintain ongoing collaboration to ensure continuity and follow-up on emerging issues.
Reports and updates from OSCE and Council of Europe activities related to journalist safety are a standing item on the agenda, ensuring that international standards and developments inform national discussions and measures.
2025 update
Recent surveys conducted by the Norwegian Union of Journalists (NJ), the Norwegian Editors’ Association (NR) and major media organisations indicate that threats, harassment and intimidation remain a significant concern despite Norway's generally safe environment for journalism. More than 20% of newsrooms reported incidents involving threats or violence against journalists or editors during the previous three years, while a similar proportion reported incidents that were never brought to the attention of law enforcement authorities. Concerns also persist regarding the limited number of reported cases that ultimately result in legal consequences.
In September 2025, the Government presented its strategy Freedom of Expression Preparedness – National Strategy for an Open and Informed Public Debate, which recognises safety as a prerequisite for freedom of expression and identifies harassment, threats and reprisals as barriers to participation in public debate. The strategy includes measures aimed at strengthening police capacity to address hate crime and supporting an open and informed democratic discourse.
Particular attention has also been given to the situation of minority journalists. Research conducted by the Norwegian Union of Journalists shows that Sámi journalists, queer journalists, ethnic minorities and journalists with disabilities experience disproportionately high levels of threats, harassment and hate speech, with some reporting self-censorship or withdrawal from public-facing roles as a consequence. These concerns have increasingly featured in discussions between media organisations, prosecutorial authorities and government institutions. In 2025, the Norwegian Union of Journalists and the Norwegian Editors’ Association also intensified dialogue with the Director of Public Prosecutions following changes to the annual prosecutorial circular, advocating for the continued prioritisation of threats, harassment and hate crimes targeting journalists by police and prosecutorial authorities.
In general, the working conditions and environment for Norwegian journalists are considered safe and predictable. Although there are no specific provisions for the protection of journalists in Norway's Criminal Code, there are significant measures in place to ensure their safety:
The Attorney General has instructed the police and prosecuting authorities to prioritize cases involving threats and violence against journalists.
The Supreme Court has mandated that threats and violence towards journalists should result in more severe punishments.
The Norwegian Union of Journalists maintains close contact with other press organizations, regularly addressing the safety of journalists. Media organizations in Norway collaborate on various professional issues, including journalist safety, press ethics, transparency, and public financial support for the media.
The Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality is the responsible authority for media-related topics in the country. Ongoing consultations with relevant institutions have highlighted several areas of concern:
Journalists covering polarized topics such as immigration, gender equality, climate change, and particularly the war in the Middle East, frequently face harassment, threats, and violence.
Reporters covering the war in Gaza have reported receiving significant numbers of hate messages.
Studies indicate that journalists with minority backgrounds and LGBTQIA+ individuals experience threats and harassment at twice the rate of their ethnic Norwegian counterparts.
The chilling effect and health issues related to anxiety are significant consequences of these experiences. The studies underline that harassment and threats have a pronounced chilling effect on journalists covering polarized topics and those from minority backgrounds.
While the Ministry has no immediate plans to work on a specific action plan for journalist safety, it remains committed to continuing the dialogue on this critical issue.
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Norway remains actively engaged in professional exchanges and research on journalists' safety. In November 2025, OsloMet hosted the 11th Annual Conference on the Safety of...
As part of the implementation of the Government's Freedom of Expression Preparedness strategy, preparations began for the establishment of a new research centre dedicated to...
Norway, National chapter
