The Council of Europe’s Journalists Matter Campaign was presented on 16 May, at the Swedish Agency for Media’s high-level conference on the safety of journalists. The event, titled “How do we protect journalists and thereby democracy?”, brought together voices from across the media landscape, including the Swedish Journalists’ Association, TU (Swedish Media Publishers’ Association), the Swedish Police Authority, the Swedish Prosecution Authority, academia, Fojo Media Institute, the Crime Victims’ Hotline, and the magazine Expo.
The Swedish Agency for Media, which also serves as the national focal point for the Journalists Matter Campaign, hosted the conference to address the urgent and growing threats faced by journalists—particularly harassment and online abuse—and to promote coordinated action.
In her opening address, Sweden’s Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand emphasized the importance of collaboration in defending journalistic freedom.
“Strong press freedom does not make us immune to attacks on journalists. Every act of harassment is an attack on democracy,” said Liljestrand. “Real protection comes through working together.”
A pressing need to improve the work environment
An introductory film featuring testimonies from working journalists illustrated the chilling effect of constant harassment. Many spoke of self-censorship and emotional exhaustion, with some questioning their future in the profession.
Oscar Björkenfeldt, researcher at the University of Gothenburg and author of the Swedish Agency for Media’s knowledge overview Journalists’ Safety, pointed out that while most harassment is technically legal, it still causes significant harm.
“Between 90 and 95 percent of the abuse journalists face does not violate the law, which means legal frameworks alone are not enough,” he said. “There’s also a harmful professional norm suggesting harassment is just part of the job.”
Supporting journalists on the ground
Annika Hamrud from Fojo Media Institute introduced a new peer support training initiative aimed at boosting resilience in newsrooms. Meanwhile, Andreas Sabelhierta of the Crime Victims’ Hotline described how their victim support model is being extended to journalists, including freelancers, through a dedicated hotline service.
Despite these new tools, legal redress remains limited. Prosecutor Fredrik Ingblad noted that convictions for threats against journalists are still rare in Sweden, with only four such cases to date. Whether recently increased penalties will have a deterrent effect remains to be seen.
Building preventive structures through dialogue
In a promising move, national and local pilot projects are exploring ways to prevent crimes against journalists. TU’s Jan Fager and Martina Lindberg from the Swedish Police Authority/NOA presented a pilot in Östra Fyrbodal, where regular dialogue between newsrooms and local police has helped improve safety and response.
Publishers’ representative Thomas Mattsson called for a specific criminal code to allow crimes against journalists to be tracked in national statistics—an essential step for informed policymaking.
A shared mission
The event underscored a powerful shared commitment: protecting journalists is a collective responsibility. As a partner in the Journalists Matter Campaign, the Swedish Agency for Media is helping lead national efforts that align with broader European goals of ensuring media freedom and safeguarding democracy.
The conference highlighted that cross-sector cooperation is not only possible—it is essential. By working together, stakeholders can foster a safer, more resilient environment where journalists are empowered to do their work without fear.
