Estonia has been high up in the press freedom index for years. Press freedom is guaranteed in the Constitution. The media field is specially regulated by the Media Services Act and the Public Service Broadcasting Act. There is no over-arching media law as media itself prefers self-regulation over law created by politicians. The Estonian Journalism Code of Ethics has been in force since 1997 without change. There are also two self-regulating press councils: Avaliku Sõna Nõukogu (Public Word Council, ASN), created in 1992, and Pressinõukogu (Press Council), which separated from ASN in 2001 and is affiliated with the Media Enterprises Association. The latter is stronger and more noticeable. In over 30 years, after Estonia regained its independence, no journalist has been killed or jailed for doing their job. Physical attacks against journalists are extremely rare, but in recent years, real and online threats and harassment have been on the rise. Most severe cases have been reported to the police and investigated. Estonian two private and one public media house have some protective measures in place for their employees, but freelance journalists have little defence. Journalists face the risk of self-censorship due to anti-defamation legislation and cyber-bullying.

2025 update

Efforts to strengthen safeguards against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) remained a key priority in Estonia throughout 2025. The Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)2 on countering SLAPPs was referenced in the explanatory memorandum accompanying Estonia’s draft anti-SLAPP legislation. The Estonian Association of Journalists requested an assessment of the draft from the Council of Europe and based its comments and recommendations on that evaluation. The Council of Europe assessment was subsequently translated into Estonian and published on the Association’s website, contributing to national discussions on the development of effective safeguards against abusive litigation.

In parallel, the Estonian Association of Journalists continued efforts to strengthen monitoring of press freedom violations by developing a dedicated reporting mechanism through which journalists will be able to report harassment, threats, SLAPP cases and other violations affecting media freedom. Once operational, the mechanism is expected to contribute to a more systematic understanding of challenges faced by journalists in Estonia.

Research and professional discussions continued to highlight differences in the forms of abuse experienced by journalists. Available findings suggest that women journalists are more frequently subjected to online harassment, belittling and personal insults, while male journalists are more likely to receive direct threats and aggressive verbal attacks. No specific gender-targeted protection measures were introduced during the reporting period.