
Attacks on physical safety and integrity of journalists
Killings; abductions; threats and acts of violence against the physical integrity of journalists, their family members and other media actors; attacks against journalists’ sources because of their co-operation with journalists or media.
Detention and imprisonment of journalists
Arbitrary, unwarranted or politically-motivated arrests, detention and imprisonment of journalists and other media actors.
Harassment and intimidation of journalists
Harassment of journalists and other media institutions or actors; violence or interference causing damage or destruction of journalists’ equipment or other property; punitive or vindictive exercise of investigatory tax or administrative powers; arbitrary denial of access for journalistic coverage; threats to journalists’ privacy, threats to employment status, psychological abuse, bullying, online harassment and cyber-bullying;
Judicial intimidation: opportunistic, arbitrary or vexatious use of legislation, including defamation, anti-terrorism, national security, hooliganism or anti-extremism laws; issuing bogus or fabricated charges;
Political intimidation, including hate speech and use by public figures of abusive or demeaning language against journalists or media outlets;
Other forms of intimidation and harassment.
Impunity
Failures to promptly, independently and effectively investigate and seek to prosecute crimes and offences against journalists and other media institutions or actors.
Other acts having chilling effects on media freedom
Acts having chilling effects on media freedom including restrictive legislation encroaching on media freedom;
Censorship, interference with editorial freedom;
Threats to the confidentiality of journalists’ sources;
Unjustified or indiscriminate blocking of websites or social media platforms, hacking, and surveillance or interception of communications data of journalists without due process of authorisation, etc.
The platform was set up in close co-operation with five major journalists’ and freedom of expression organisations* – signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Council of Europe. They are responsible for providing verified information on serious concerns with regard to the media freedom and safety of journalists.
* European Federation of Journalists, International Federation of Journalists, Association of European Journalists , Article 19, Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists, Index on Censorship, International Press Institute, International News Safety Institute, the Rory Peck Trust, European Broadcasting Union, PEN International
Level 1
Covers the most severe and damaging violations of media freedom, including but not limited to murder, assassination or direct threat to the life of journalists or other media actors, or their family members, because of their journalistic work; physical assaults or any acts causing grievous injury to journalists or other media actors, or the use of violence to threaten their physical safety; impunity for any such violations; prolonged arbitrary detention or imprisonment of journalists because of their professional activities or their status as journalist; arbitrary closure of a media enterprise; and any other acts posing a grave threat or having a severe impact on media freedom, online or offline.
Level 2
Covers all other serious threats to media freedom, including but not limited to physical assaults causing actual bodily harm, acts of intimidation and harassment; use by public figures of threatening or severely abusive language towards media members; unwarranted seizure or damage to property or equipment; laws and regulations that unduly restrict media freedom or access to information; actions that jeopardise the confidentiality of sources or the independence of the public sector broadcasters; abusive or disproportionate use of legislation; misuse of governmental or other powers to direct media content or to penalise media or journalists; interference with media freedom through ownership, control and regulation; and other acts posing a serious threat to media freedom, offline or online.
This section presents a non-exhaustive selection of CoE instruments and ECHR case-law. This information is not a legal assessment of the alert and should not be treated or used as such.

25 February 2021
22 February 2021
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17 February 2021
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9 February 2021
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29 January 2021
27 January 2021
25 January 2021
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4 January 2021
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18 December 2020
17 December 2020

16 December 2020
16 December 2020
16 December 2020
16 December 2020
15 December 2020

14 December 2020
4 December 2020

4 December 2020
2 December 2020
2 December 2020

30 November 2020
24 November 2020
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24 November 2020
19 November 2020
13 November 2020
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10 November 2020
27 October 2020

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27 October 2020

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16 October 2020

9 October 2020
1 October 2020
24 September 2020
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21 September 2020

11 September 2020
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4 September 2020
31 August 2020
21 August 2020
17 August 2020
3 August 2020
31 July 2020

28 July 2020
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27 July 2020
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9 July 2020
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24 April 2020
17 April 2020
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16 April 2020
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31 March 2020

31 March 2020

28 March 2020
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25 March 2020

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19 March 2020

18 March 2020
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12 March 2020
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9 March 2020

6 March 2020

2 March 2020

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27 February 2020
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21 February 2020

18 February 2020
14 February 2020
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11 February 2020

11 February 2020
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4 February 2020

30 January 2020

27 January 2020

24 January 2020
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24 January 2020

23 January 2020
21 January 2020

21 January 2020

14 January 2020
10 January 2020

9 January 2020

31 December 2019

20 December 2019
19 December 2019
19 December 2019
19 December 2019
19 December 2019
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19 December 2019
19 December 2019
19 December 2019
19 December 2019
19 December 2019

17 December 2019
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13 December 2019

12 December 2019

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11 December 2019

10 December 2019
6 December 2019
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4 December 2019

2 December 2019

2 December 2019

29 November 2019
27 November 2019
27 November 2019

21 November 2019

20 November 2019
18 November 2019
14 November 2019

13 November 2019

13 November 2019
8 November 2019
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5 November 2019

5 November 2019
28 October 2019

28 October 2019

28 October 2019

28 October 2019

28 October 2019

25 October 2019

25 October 2019

25 October 2019

25 October 2019

25 October 2019

24 October 2019
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22 October 2019

22 October 2019
21 October 2019
21 October 2019
17 October 2019
11 October 2019
11 October 2019
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10 October 2019

7 October 2019

7 October 2019

4 October 2019

4 October 2019

3 October 2019

23 September 2019

23 September 2019

19 September 2019

19 September 2019

18 September 2019

18 September 2019

13 September 2019

9 September 2019

9 September 2019

4 September 2019

30 August 2019

28 August 2019
27 August 2019
27 August 2019
27 August 2019

23 August 2019

23 August 2019

23 August 2019
22 August 2019
20 August 2019
16 August 2019
14 August 2019
13 August 2019
8 August 2019

7 August 2019

7 August 2019

2 August 2019
1 August 2019
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31 July 2019

29 July 2019

24 July 2019

23 July 2019

22 July 2019
18 July 2019

18 July 2019

16 July 2019
15 July 2019
12 July 2019
11 July 2019
8 July 2019
4 July 2019
2 July 2019
27 June 2019

27 June 2019
21 June 2019

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20 June 2019

19 June 2019
14 June 2019
11 June 2019
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10 June 2019

7 June 2019
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6 June 2019
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3 June 2019
27 May 2019

17 May 2019

17 May 2019

9 May 2019
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29 April 2019
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24 April 2019

23 April 2019

19 April 2019

19 April 2019
10 April 2019

4 April 2019

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2 April 2019

27 March 2019
22 March 2019
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22 March 2019
22 March 2019
20 March 2019
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18 March 2019
15 March 2019
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14 March 2019

11 March 2019

8 March 2019
1 March 2019

26 February 2019

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22 February 2019
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19 February 2019
15 February 2019

13 February 2019

11 February 2019
31 January 2019
31 January 2019
31 January 2019
31 January 2019
31 January 2019
31 January 2019

29 January 2019
29 January 2019

25 January 2019
24 January 2019
23 January 2019
23 January 2019
23 January 2019
23 January 2019

21 January 2019

15 January 2019
8 January 2019

7 January 2019

7 January 2019
20 December 2018
13 December 2018

13 December 2018

10 December 2018
3 December 2018
29 November 2018

28 November 2018

28 November 2018

28 November 2018

23 November 2018
19 November 2018

19 November 2018
19 November 2018

17 November 2018

16 November 2018
16 November 2018
14 November 2018
13 November 2018
9 November 2018
9 November 2018

7 November 2018
5 November 2018

29 October 2018

29 October 2018

29 October 2018
16 October 2018

15 October 2018

12 October 2018

12 October 2018

9 October 2018

8 October 2018

8 October 2018

8 October 2018
5 October 2018
4 October 2018

4 October 2018

3 October 2018
3 October 2018
1 October 2018

1 October 2018

27 September 2018

27 September 2018

27 September 2018

27 September 2018
24 September 2018

21 September 2018
21 September 2018

20 September 2018

19 September 2018
19 September 2018
17 September 2018

17 September 2018
14 September 2018

14 September 2018

13 September 2018

12 September 2018

12 September 2018

11 September 2018

7 September 2018

7 September 2018
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5 September 2018

4 September 2018
4 September 2018

31 August 2018
31 August 2018
29 August 2018
28 August 2018
28 August 2018
28 August 2018
28 August 2018
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27 August 2018

27 August 2018

24 August 2018

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16 August 2018

6 August 2018

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31 July 2018
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29 June 2018
28 June 2018
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27 June 2018

27 June 2018

6 June 2018
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18 May 2018

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9 May 2018

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16 April 2018
12 April 2018
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6 April 2018
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4 April 2018
3 April 2018
3 April 2018
28 March 2018
28 March 2018
23 March 2018

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9 March 2018

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27 February 2018

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16 February 2018

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9 February 2018
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7 February 2018
7 February 2018
7 February 2018
6 February 2018
5 February 2018

2 February 2018

29 January 2018

27 January 2018

25 January 2018

25 January 2018
24 January 2018

19 January 2018

19 January 2018

19 January 2018

15 January 2018

5 January 2018

31 December 2017
18 December 2017
18 December 2017

18 December 2017

14 December 2017
14 December 2017
29 November 2017
27 November 2017

20 November 2017

20 November 2017
17 November 2017
14 November 2017
13 November 2017
2 November 2017
31 October 2017

24 October 2017

23 October 2017

19 October 2017

19 October 2017

19 October 2017

19 October 2017

19 October 2017

19 October 2017

18 October 2017

17 October 2017

17 October 2017
17 October 2017

17 October 2017
12 October 2017
11 October 2017
5 October 2017

5 October 2017
3 October 2017

1 October 2017

1 October 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

26 September 2017

22 September 2017
21 September 2017

20 September 2017

13 September 2017

13 September 2017

12 September 2017

11 September 2017

11 September 2017

11 September 2017

11 September 2017
6 September 2017

31 August 2017
31 August 2017

31 August 2017

31 August 2017
31 August 2017
31 August 2017
31 August 2017
31 August 2017
31 August 2017
31 August 2017
31 August 2017
29 August 2017
28 August 2017

25 August 2017

25 August 2017

25 August 2017
16 August 2017
11 August 2017

8 August 2017

8 August 2017

7 August 2017
3 August 2017

3 August 2017

3 August 2017

31 July 2017

28 July 2017

25 July 2017

25 July 2017
21 July 2017

20 July 2017

17 July 2017
17 July 2017
13 July 2017
5 July 2017
27 June 2017
27 June 2017

20 June 2017

16 June 2017

12 June 2017

6 June 2017

2 June 2017
29 May 2017
12 May 2017

2 May 2017

2 May 2017

2 May 2017

2 May 2017

2 May 2017

18 April 2017
7 April 2017

20 March 2017
15 March 2017
14 March 2017

14 March 2017

10 March 2017

7 March 2017

6 March 2017

3 March 2017

3 March 2017

2 March 2017
28 February 2017
22 February 2017
17 February 2017
17 February 2017
17 February 2017
17 February 2017
16 February 2017

16 February 2017
16 February 2017
16 February 2017
16 February 2017

15 February 2017

15 February 2017

15 February 2017

15 February 2017

15 February 2017

15 February 2017

15 February 2017

15 February 2017

15 February 2017
15 February 2017
15 February 2017
14 February 2017
14 February 2017
14 February 2017
14 February 2017

6 February 2017

19 January 2017

13 January 2017
13 January 2017

11 January 2017

9 January 2017

9 January 2017

9 January 2017
20 December 2016

15 December 2016

9 December 2016
9 December 2016
9 December 2016
7 December 2016

6 December 2016
2 December 2016
21 November 2016
21 November 2016

18 November 2016

15 November 2016

31 October 2016

31 October 2016

26 October 2016

26 October 2016

7 October 2016
22 September 2016
16 September 2016

7 September 2016

7 September 2016

7 September 2016
17 August 2016
10 August 2016

5 August 2016
5 August 2016
5 August 2016
27 July 2016

21 July 2016

21 July 2016

21 July 2016

20 July 2016

20 July 2016
13 July 2016

12 July 2016
29 June 2016
28 June 2016
21 June 2016
21 June 2016
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17 June 2016

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10 June 2016
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27 May 2016

26 May 2016

25 May 2016

18 May 2016
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17 May 2016

13 May 2016

13 May 2016

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13 May 2016

12 May 2016

12 May 2016
11 May 2016

2 May 2016
2 May 2016
29 April 2016
29 April 2016
29 April 2016
29 April 2016
18 April 2016
4 April 2016
18 March 2016

17 March 2016

17 March 2016
15 March 2016

15 March 2016

10 March 2016

10 March 2016

10 March 2016

10 March 2016

10 March 2016

9 March 2016

5 March 2016

5 March 2016

4 March 2016

4 March 2016
4 March 2016

3 March 2016
26 February 2016

26 February 2016
25 February 2016

16 February 2016

16 February 2016

11 February 2016

11 February 2016

26 January 2016
25 January 2016

21 January 2016

14 January 2016

14 January 2016
12 January 2016
11 January 2016
8 January 2016

6 January 2016

5 January 2016

5 January 2016
15 December 2015
15 December 2015
15 December 2015
7 December 2015

3 December 2015
1 December 2015

30 November 2015
30 November 2015

27 November 2015

27 November 2015

27 November 2015
25 November 2015
24 November 2015
17 November 2015
17 November 2015
16 November 2015
12 November 2015

12 November 2015
12 November 2015

10 November 2015

30 October 2015

30 October 2015

30 October 2015

23 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015
22 October 2015

14 October 2015

6 October 2015

1 October 2015

1 October 2015

1 October 2015
24 September 2015

17 September 2015

17 September 2015
15 September 2015

9 September 2015
8 September 2015

1 September 2015

1 September 2015

1 September 2015
28 August 2015
28 August 2015
28 August 2015
27 August 2015
27 August 2015

25 August 2015

21 August 2015
11 August 2015

11 August 2015

10 August 2015

4 August 2015
3 August 2015
30 June 2015
24 June 2015

23 June 2015

23 June 2015
1 June 2015
1 June 2015
1 June 2015
1 June 2015
1 June 2015
1 June 2015
1 June 2015
21 May 2015

20 May 2015
15 May 2015
15 May 2015
12 May 2015

6 May 2015

28 April 2015

16 April 2015
13 April 2015

13 April 2015

2 April 2015

2 April 2015