The European Federation of Journalists, the regional organisation of the IFJ, today expressed its support for a campaign of its affiliate in Great Britain and Ireland, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) to defend journalists’ rights when covering protests and demonstrations.

In an attempt to draw the public’s attention to the increasingly restrictive working conditions, in particular of press photographers’ covering protests and demonstrations, the NUJ this week released a 9-minute video called “Press Freedom: Collateral Damage”. The film tackles the issue of police surveillance of bona fide journalists who document political dissent.

“The film is a frightening account of the techniques and methods of the Police and Intelligence Services over the last few years,” said Arne König, President of the EFJ. “In fact, what it shows is not only the increasing restrictions on media freedoms and civil liberties, such as denied reasonable access and no respect for protection of sources. It in fact witnesses the increasing aggressive targeting and surveillance of press photographers and journalists by the police.” “And this is not a British problem only, it is a European one, which is recognised by journalists and civil liberties organisations and must be confronted vigorously”, concluded König.

The video was released the day after the British Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Brighton condemned the erosion of civil liberties and media freedoms in Britain. TUC unions unanimously backed a motion, proposed by the National Union of Journalists, which called for a rethink of government policies that put journalists at risk of imprisonment just for doing their job.

IFJ President Jim Boumelha sent a letter to Tony McNulty, UK Home Office Minister, which is attached.

Click here to see the video:

http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=910

For more information contact the EFJ at +32 2 235 2200/02

The EFJ represents over 250,000 journalists in over 30 countries