A turning point for European media: 2025 marked by systemic repression and lethal violence
Media freedom across Europe faced an unprecedented crisis in 2025, driven by physical violence, legislative overreach, and transnational repression. The Council of Europe’s (CoE) latest annual report, "2025: A Turning Point for Media Freedom," reveals a landscape of escalating hostility toward the press.
The report, released today, identifies Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine as the primary catalyst for danger. Four media professionals—Olena Hramova, Yevhen Karmazin, Tetyana Kulyk, and French photojournalist Antoni Lallican—were killed by Russian drones during the past year.
Systemic violence and political interference
Physical safety remains a critical concern, with attacks reported in 25% of monitored countries. High levels of violence were specifically noted in Georgia, Serbia, and Turkey, often occurring during public demonstrations involving police forces or political actors.
Beyond physical threats, political interference is eroding public broadcasting. Eleven out of 32 studied nations lack an independent public broadcaster, with Hungary, Malta, and Turkey cited for the highest rates of political meddling in media operations.
Precarious labor and legal surveillance
The Media Pluralism Monitor highlights a deepening labor crisis. Only Denmark and Germany offer "good" working conditions, while countries like Romania, Spain, and Greece face extreme marginalization and poor social security for journalists.
Surveillance has also modernized. While Russia utilizes intrusive internet monitoring, nations such as Hungary and Romania have faced alerts regarding unjustified investigative powers and traditional physical surveillance of journalists.
A record year for alerts
The CoE Platform published 344 alerts regarding serious threats in 2025, a significant 29% increase from the 266 cases recorded in 2024. Russia, Turkey, and Georgia lead the list with the highest number of reported violations.
As of December 31, 2025, 148 journalists remain in detention across Europe. Azerbaijan (36), Russia (32), and Belarus (27) account for the majority of these cases, signaling a systemic use of imprisonment to silence independent reporting.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
