International Press Institute (IPI)

“During the coronavirus pandemic the country’s media regulator has issued dozens of take down and correction orders and threatened to block news websites over coverage, while one journalist is under criminal investigation as a result of an article she published.”

FOIs, a process by which journalists can submit an official request to a state body or organisation for publicly held information or records, are a vital tool for media to gather data and are a central element of government transparency.

The worst violations have taken place in states where press freedom crackdowns were already well underway, such as Hungary, Serbia and Turkey. However, other states have also seen restrictions on journalists, either through limiting access to information or a rise in verbal and physical attacks.

Twenty-four press freedom groups and other civil society organisations send a list of recommendations to EU leaders on how a newly formed rule of law mechanism can help strengthen press freedom and media plurality.

Former soldier Miroslav Marček pleaded guilty in court in January, testifying that he shot Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová, on 21 February 2018. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison.

“We urge the government of Serbia to ensure that journalists are able to go about their work without fear of arrest. Accurate and updated reporting from journalists will be an essential ally of governments in tackling the pandemic.”

“The Hungarian government is taking advantage of a health emergency to accelerate its already extensive control over news and information in the country. Regardless of whether the law is applied in practice, the potential for self-censorship is enormous and damaging at a time when independent journalism is more essential than ever.”

“This law would allow the Hungarian government to back up its usual ‘fake news’ accusations against journalists with the threat of criminal prosecution and even imprisonments; attacks on independent journalists simply for doing their job leave little doubt that this proposal is an effort to cement control over public information”.