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EU statement on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists

07.11.2025 Press and information team of the Delegation to the COUNCIL OF EUROPE in Strasbourg
CM room
© European Union, 2025

I have the honour to speak the on behalf of the EU and its Member States.

  1. On the occasion of the 11th International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the European Union expresses its deep concern over the continued threats faced by journalists and other media actors worldwide. In 2025, incidents of harassment, surveillance and attacks in CoE Member States have raised serious concerns over violations of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the erosion of democratic accountability.

  2. Journalists covering armed conflicts, corruption, organised crime, human rights violations or migration continue to face serious risks to their life, physical integrity and liberty. Online threats and digital harassment remain a challenge. Women journalists are disproportionately targeted, facing gender-based hate speech, doxing, deep fake abuse, and coordinated smear campaigns. In 2025, the spread of disinformation through artificial intelligence further amplified the risks faced by journalists globally.

  3. The EU reiterates its commitment to safeguarding media freedom and to ending impunity for crimes committed against journalists. We call on all states to ensure independent, impartial, and effective investigations and to hold all perpetrators of such crimes accountable.

  4. In 2025, the EU took significant steps to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for the protection of journalists:

    • The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) entered into force in August 2025. It strengthens editorial independence, guarantees the protection of sources, and prohibits the unlawful surveillance of journalists, including through spyware. The EU supported the operationalisation of the EMFA at national level and the establishment of the European Board for Media Services, which oversees its consistent implementation across Member States.

    • The Anti-SLAPP Directive, providing legal safeguards for journalists and human rights defenders facing abusive lawsuits aimed at silencing critical reporting.

    • The EU continued to provide emergency assistance and relocation mechanisms for journalists at risk, especially those working in exile or under authoritarian regimes and in conflict zones.

  5. The EU also welcomes the results of the conference on Effective prosecution of crimes against journalists: Building the paradigm against impunity held in Luxembourg in April 2025 and strongly supports the CoE’s initiatives: the “Journalists Matter” campaign, including the adoption of national action plans and the launch of Ukraine’s roadmap for journalist protection in wartime conditions; and the Platform to Promote the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists, a crucial mechanism for recording and responding to threats. We urge all Member States to engage proactively with alerts submitted to the Platform. Ending impunity is not only about delivering justice — it is essential to the survival of open and democratic societies.

The following countries aligned with this statement: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, Serbia, Ukraine, United Kingdom.