MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Commission measures to uphold journalists’ rights and protect journalists and publications threatened by the Russian Federation – E-002264/2024(ASW)

As stated in its reply to Written Question P-001987/2024, the EU firmly condemns Russia’s ongoing intimidation, harassment and killing of European journalists and other media workers who report from its war of aggression against Ukraine.

This also includes the use of politically motivated arrest warrants issued by Russia against international journalists reporting from war zones and frontlines[1].

The EU has consistently condemned Russia’s attempts to obstruct the work of European and other journalists and has regularly addressed these issues in multilateral fora like the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe where Russia is present.

The EU will remain steadfast in its commitment to protect media freedom and the safety of journalists around the world and in war zones.

The Commission will ensure the effective application of the European Media Freedom Act[2] and the anti-SLAPP Directive[3]. It will also monitor Member States’ actions to put in practice the recommendation[4] on the protection, safety and empowerment of journalists and the recommendation[5] on protecting journalists and human rights defenders who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings to safeguard the independence of media and journalists and will continue assessing all relevant developments related to media freedom and pluralism in all Member States, including Romania, under the annual Rule of Law Report[6].

• [1] Further detailed guidance on extradition to third states and a summary of the relevant case law of the Court of Justice in this respect can be found in the Guidelines on Extradition to Third States of June 2022, see Commission Notice — Guidelines on Extradition to Third States, Official Journal of the European Union, (2022/C 223/01).
• [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202401083
• [3] Directive — EU — 2024/1069 — EN — EUR-Lex.
• [4] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/recommendation-protection-safety-and-empowerment-journalists
• [5] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ%3AL%3A2022%3A138%3ATOC
• [6] https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/upholding-rule-law/rule-law/annual-rule-law-cycle_en