The Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalism recorded a 29% increase in serious threats to press freedom, with 344 alerts across member states, Russia, and Belarus.
The Platform was established in 2015, supported by member states, and operates through a network of 15 organisations promoting media freedom.
Alerts highlight grave dangers to journalists’ safety and press freedom, yet fewer than half receive responses from governments despite expectations to act on them.
Russia, Turkey, Georgia, Serbia, and Ukraine faced the highest number of alerts in 2025, with Ukraine’s concerns mainly linked to Russian-occupied or controlled areas.
The report identified Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent war as the greatest danger to journalists in 2025.
Four media professionals were killed, others injured or imprisoned, while many remain missing. By late 2025, 148 journalists and media workers were detained across Europe, including 32 in Russia, 26 in occupied Ukrainian territories, 36 in Azerbaijan, 27 in Belarus, and 24 in Turkey.
Outside conflict zones, attacks against journalists covering protests posed significant risks.
The report documented widespread violence, harassment, and intimidation in at least a quarter of Council of Europe member states, with Georgia, Serbia, and Turkey most affected, alongside incidents in Belgium.
What about Belgium?
In Belgium, the Council of Europe’s safety of journalists platform published a new alert last month over comments reportedly made by the minister in charge of French-speaking media in Belgium, Jacqueline Galant, concerning the political alignment of public broadcaster RTBF.
It was the latest in a series of alerts issued because of comments made by MPs from the French-speaking liberal party MR. Leader George-Louis Bouchez has faced accusations of enacting a Trump-style culture war against Belgian journalism.
Bouchez and Galant were also previously condemned by the Council of Europe in 2024 over posts on social media accusing the public broadcaster of bias after a report on white people and racism.
