#Serbia: MFRR consortium requests transparency from BC Partners and United Group regarding any proposed governance models or safeguards affecting editorial independence of the remaining independent media outlets.

🎄 With the holidays ahead, ECPMF sends sincere greetings to you and your loved ones. We wish you resilience, unwavering courage, lasting inspiration, the energy to keep advancing, and above all, good health.

Forced returns to so-called “safe” third countries expose journalists to persecution and repression. The EU must prioritise protection, not endangerment. Our full statement explains why. https://www.ecpmf.eu/eus-dangerous-return-hubs-policy-a-threat-to-journalists-in-exile/

#MediaFreedom must be protected everywhere, including for those forced into exile. Our latest position paper on Transnational Repression shows how transnational repression is used to intimidate, surveil and silence journalists beyond borders. www.ecpmf.eu/position-pap...

Support ECPMF’s mission by joining us as a Digital Communications and Outreach Assistant. Engage with journalists and partners while strengthening our online presence: https://ecpmf-sce-mbh.jobs.personio.de/job/2425883?language=en&display=en

You can help us by reporting media freedom violations. If you know of an incident that hasn’t been documented yet, you can submit it using our online form. Reports can be anonymous, but detailed information and links to sources help us verify each case. https://www.mappingmediafreedom.org/report-it/

Designating countries with documented press freedom violations as “safe” for returns puts journalists in exile at serious risk. EU policy must align with human rights standards. Read our statement. https://www.ecpmf.eu/eus-dangerous-return-hubs-policy-a-threat-to-journalists-in-exile/

Join us tomorrow at 15:00 CET for @mysociety.org's end-of-year reflections on Access to Information. ECPMF's Cara Räker will share insights from Monitoring Freedom of Information in Europe Report. Register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ati-networ...

Journalist Dragana Šćepanović files new lawsuit against the founder of the Aktuelno portal: https://en.vijesti.me/news-b/society/783922/Journalist-Dragana-Scepanovic-files-new-lawsuit-against-the-founder-of-the-portal-Aktuellno

With information on 28 countries, the European Anti-SLAPP Monitor shows where action has begun and where gaps remain. Access the data and support efforts against abusive lawsuits below ⬇️ https://slapp-monitor.eu

Nominations are open for the Prize for the Freedom and Future of the Media 2026, awarded by the Media Foundation of Sparkasse Leipzig. The prize recognises exceptional contributions to media freedom, objective reporting, and diversity of opinion worldwide. https://ow.ly/gcV350XIlEx

Our Flutura Kusari told iMEdD: “When articles about those in power are published, or something critical is said about a politician or businessman, they file a lawsuit to intimidate journalists, create confusion about whether the journalist was right, and make them suffer.” https://ow.ly/B7jw50XGLLo

🌐 Journalism knows no borders. If you're a media worker in exile in #Germany, explore the possibilities we offer – from language courses to legal advice. Click the link below to connect with us and explore opportunities tailored to your unique journey ⬇️ https://www.ecpmf.eu/support/support-in-exile/

Support ECPMF’s mission by joining us as a Digital Communications and Outreach Assistant. Engage with journalists and partners while strengthening our online presence: https://ecpmf-sce-mbh.jobs.personio.de/job/2425883?language=en&display=en

Saturday read ☕ Predictions for journalism in 2026 collected by Nieman Lab. https://www.niemanlab.org/collection/predictions-2026/

The EU’s “Return Hubs” policy risks forcing journalists in exile back to countries where press freedom is under attack. Calling these states “safe” ignores documented persecution and violence. Read our statement. https://www.ecpmf.eu/eus-dangerous-return-hubs-policy-a-threat-to-journalists-in-exile/

The Media Foundation of Sparkasse Leipzig invites nominations for the Prize for the Freedom and Future of the Media 2026. This award recognises exceptional commitment to media freedom, objective reporting, and diversity of opinion worldwide. https://www.leipziger-medienstiftung.de/de/medienpreis/

We are now starting! Register to join the discussion ⬇️ https://www.mfrr.eu/jailed-for-dissent-georgian-journalists-and-writers-under-crackdown/

At 11:00 CET today, MFRR hosts a discussion on #Georgia’s crackdown on journalists. After a politicised trial, Sakharov Prize laureate Mzia Amaglobeli was jailed for exposing corruption. 60+ political prisoners. 117 attacks on media freedom. Join us: https://ow.ly/lUgg50XGIRB

🌟 We offer up to six months of protection and stability for journalists who need temporary relocation. With a stipend, furnished housing, training, and support from European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, it enables meaningful recovery and continued investigations. https://www.mfrr.eu/support/

The European Anti-SLAPP Monitor categorises each country’s progress from “Not Started” to “Implemented”, giving clear insight into Europe’s response to #SLAPPs. Visit our platform ⬇️ https://slapp-monitor.eu

Georgia’s judiciary is being weaponized to silence dissent. Journalists, writers, and pro-EU protesters face intimidation charges. With Mzia Amaglobeli’s Sakharov Prize in focus, we look at evidence of repression and how to support those under pressure: https://ow.ly/fCrv50XGIN8

Yesterday, our Senior Advocacy and Policy Advisor Ena Bavčić addressed the @coe.int Committee on Albania. 194 press freedom violations since 2020, slow progress on media reforms, high risks to pluralism, and shrinking transparency demand real action.

Journalists in exile bring critical perspectives shaped by lived experience. In Germany, we help them to access training, legal advice, language support, and funding for equipment, making it possible to keep reporting and rebuild a professional path: https://ow.ly/lGpj50XGgBG

The MFRR offers temporary relocation in Leipzig for journalists facing harassment or intimidation as a direct result of their reporting. This creates a safe environment in which journalists can recover and continue their work without exposure to risks. https://www.mfrr.eu/support/

Sakharov Prize laureate Mzia Amaglobeli is the first female journalist imprisoned in Georgia’s modern history. Join Media Freedom Rapid Response and PEN International to explore the ways to reverse the country’s authoritarian drift: https://ow.ly/Hpx150XGeV1

ECPMF joins EBU and other International Organisations in Urging European Commission to Act as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Public Service Media Faces Collapse: https://ow.ly/iIlt50XGcWt

📸 We are joining the fome Symposium 2025 with CDAC’s Public Forum in Bonn. ECPMF will show how Media Freedom Rapid Response and the Hannah Arendt Initiative have become key protection mechanisms for journalists. We’ll discuss shrinking civic space, Big Tech, and supporting local media.

Under legal attack for your reporting? ECPMF provides funded legal aid and expert backing. Apply below if you need support. https://www.ecpmf.eu/support/legal-support/

Georgia is jailing journalists for doing their job. Join the discussion on #MziaAmaglobeli’s imprisonment, the wave of arrests since 2024 & how to defend media freedom. Organised by @mediafreedomeu.bsky.social in partnership with us. www.mfrr.eu/jailed-for-d... #FreeMzia #DayoftheImprisonedWriter

Political pressure on Lithuania’s public broadcaster is escalating. Freezing LRT’s funding and lowering safeguards for removing its Director General threaten editorial independence and breach EU media standards. We urge Parliament to drop these amendments. https://ow.ly/1YVN50XFBFA

Monday feels like a fresh start, so here is your sign. ECPMF is #hiring a Digital Comms and Outreach Assistant, and it could be a great fit if you enjoy creative digital work and care about press freedom. The application is open until 9 January: https://ow.ly/mKyb50XwLQp

Saturday read ☕ Under wartime pressure, Lyuk Media shows how community journalism survives: offline events, print magazines, and a community that keeps the outlet afloat. Local media still matter, especially with disinformation at their doorstep. https://ow.ly/zqnI50XwNn3

With information on 28 countries, the European Anti-SLAPP Monitor shows where action has begun and where gaps remain. Access the data and support efforts against abusive lawsuits below ⬇️ https://slapp-monitor.eu

Watch our webinar which examines the state of #FOI in Europe and the daily barriers journalists face when trying to access public data. While most European countries have Access to Information laws, requests are too often delayed, rejected, or ignored: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXA6A0y2mc4

Azerbaijan has turned independent journalism into a criminal offence. Exiled reporter Parvana Gurbanli describes raids, arrests, and family harassment while Europe looks the other way. The cost of reporting the truth keeps rising. https://ow.ly/9vtb50XwMaj

ECPMF joins @iphr.bsky.social and 30 other CSOs to urge the Member States of the Council of Europe to support the adoption of a Convention on Transnational Repression, establishing legally binding mechanisms for prevention, protection, and accountability. www.ecpmf.eu/civil-societ...

ECJP 2026: Call is out now! The European Collaborative Journalism Programme (ECJP) supports crossborder collaboration among journalists from all of the 46 member states of the Council of Europe. https://www.toepfer-stiftung.de/was-wir-tun/european-collaborative-journalism-programme

Threatened for your reporting? Our Journalists-in-Residence programme offers a practical lifeline: safe accommodation, financial support, newsroom access, and professional development. Straightforward application process. https://www.ecpmf.eu/support/journalists-in-residence/

If legal threats are blocking your reporting, ECPMF can fund your defence and provide expert support. Apply if you need help. https://www.ecpmf.eu/support/legal-support/

We are #hiring a Digital Communications and Outreach Assistant with experience in social media management and digital content tools: https://ecpmf-sce-mbh.jobs.personio.de/job/2425883?language=en&display=en#hiring Contribute to defending media freedom across Europe.

How can journalists protect themselves in an age of censorship, surveillance, and online threats? Leonid Iuldashev talks about the challenges journalists face, why security must be seen as a process, and what new tools can help build digital resilience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAOe2kojN_c

Saturday read ☕ AI is eroding the direct link between journalists and readers. Fewer clicks, weaker newsrooms, more power for tech platforms. Media needs to protect its brands and build its own AI tools or risk losing the public it serves. https://ow.ly/sR3N50XwNjv

You can’t do fearless journalism if you’re constantly looking over your shoulder. Our JiR programme gives you time to recover, investigate, and connect with peers. Open to journalists from EU states, CoE states, Belarus, and Russia. Details ⬇️ https://www.ecpmf.eu/support/journalists-in-residence/

Our European Anti-SLAPP Monitor provides transparent data on the implementation of the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive and the Council of Europe Recommendation. Follow national progress and developments here ⬇️ https://slapp-monitor.eu

We urgently call for action: the public broadcaster Radio‑Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT) is on the brink of collapse. Independent public media are indispensable for democracy, the EU and Bosnian authorities must act now to secure its future. www.ecpmf.eu/open-letter-...

Bulgaria’s media freedom gains are fragile. Our report warns that pressure on journalists, weak regulation, SLAPPs and political interference still undermine the landscape. Without swift reforms, the country risks backsliding. https://ow.ly/vOF250XwM60

Journalists in exile in Germany can access targeted support that helps them continue their professional work. Training, legal guidance, language courses, and equipment funding are available to strengthen your careers. https://www.ecpmf.eu/support/journalists-in-exile-programme/

Our open letter regarding the dismissal of Gabriele Nunziati by Agenzia Nova. https://www.ecpmf.eu/open-letter-regarding-the-dismissal-of-journalist-gabriele-nunziati/

Journalist Ninia Kakabadze talks about her recent detention while covering protests in Tbilisi and the growing pressure on independent media in #Georgia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnqsVmD1bzk