Protection and safety of journalists

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2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

39 alerts in 18 countries

3 alerts resolved or with a member state reply

201 alerts in 32 countries

100 alerts resolved or with a member state reply

3 journalists killed

142 alerts in 25 countries

74 alerts resolved or with a member state reply

2 journalists killed

139 alerts in 32 countries

93 alerts resolved or with a member state reply

4 journalists killed

130 alerts in 29 countries

77 alerts resolved or with a member state reply

5 journalists killed

133 alerts in 29 countries

76 alerts resolved or with a member state reply

3 journalists killed

108 alerts in 25 countries

89 alerts resolved or with a member state reply

12 journalists killed

Figures since April 2015

892 alerts in 42 countries

512 alerts resolved or with a member state reply

29 journalists killed

Figures since April 2015 (Platform launch date)

Yearly figures

CURRENTLY

122 journalists in detention

24 cases of impunity for murder

Figures since April 2015

892 alerts in 42 countries

512 alerts resolved or with a member state reply

29 journalists killed

Figures since April 2015 (Platform launch date) Yearly figures View all charts

Alerts are submitted by Partner Organisations, subject to their own verification processes and standards. Each contributing Partner Organisation is responsible for information which it posts.

Date the alert was submitted to the platform.

One of the 47 Council of Europe member States where the violation has occurred

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

Information about threat sources to be defined.

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.

Calculated as the difference between the number of journalists reported in detention at the date of entry of the alerts and the number of journalists released since then.

Calculated as the difference between the total number of impunity cases recorded on the Platform and the number of resolved impunity cases.

States’ replies are calculated as the sum of the states’ replies recorded on the Platform together with the number of resolved cases.

States’ replies are calculated as the sum of the total number of states’ replies recorded on the Platform together with the total number of resolved cases.

Replies include the states’ replies recorded on the Platform together with the resolved cases.

All activities of the Council of Europe concerning the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol are being undertaken in compliance with the terms of decision CM/Del/Dec(2014)1196/1.8 and subsequent decisions of the Committee of Ministers condemning the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

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