Council of Europe publishes 2024 press freedom report

The Council of Europe (CoE) published its 2024 annual report titled “Press Freedom in Europe: Time to turn the Tide.” The report highlights grave concerns about press freedom in Europe. It emphasizes the unlawful use of spyware against journalists, the weaponization of abusive lawsuits to hinder investigative work, and the challenging conditions faced by journalists in exile.

The report finds that media freedom and digital security for journalists in Europe face persistent threats from advanced spyware technology. In 2023, documented cases revealed ongoing surveillance of journalists, with accountability for previous incidents proving elusive. While the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry highlighted spyware use and offered recommendations, investigations in certain EU states lacked transparency and failed to redress abuses against journalists. The unregulated proliferation of surveillance technology worldwide, market fragmentation, and inadequate international oversight pose a chilling effect on European journalism, jeopardizing privacy, source confidentiality, and press freedom.

It was also highlighted that the draft Regulation on Child Sexual Abuse could compel tech companies to scan private digital communications constantly, undermining end-to-end encryption. The report finds this threatens journalists’ source protection and violates confidential communication rights.

The report also identifies major threats such as intimidation, detentions, restrictive legislation, media capture, and attacks on public service media. In 2023, Platform partners issued 285 alerts on serious threats to media freedom, revealing a diverse range of pressures on journalists despite a decrease in direct violence and journalist fatalities compared to the previous year.

CoEe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić urged member states to take decisive action against rising risks and obstacles, emphasizing the need to combat abusive lawsuits and illegal surveillance. The report covers 46 Council of Europe member states, including Russia (which is no longer a CoE member as of 2022) and Belarus. It calls for a strong commitment from member states to uphold media freedom standards and promote the “Journalists matter” campaign.