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The stakes for press freedom in 2025

It is a fact that press freedom is being tested in many ways internationally, from physical attacks against journalists on the street to SLAPPS (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) and digital surveillance. The safety of journalists is no longer just a professional requirement. It is becoming a pillar of democratic consolidation and public accountability. The multifaceted nature of these threats requires complex responses, at the institutional level or through the provision of psychological and legal support, among other things.

This need gave rise to this year’s international meeting in Thessaloniki (14–15 June 2025), organised by the International Centre for the Safety of Journalists (ICSJ) in collaboration with the Peace Journalism Laboratory of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the General Secretariat for Information and Communication, the Union of Editors of Macedonia and Thrace, ERT, etc., with the cooperation and support of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and UNESCO. The aim, as highlighted at the opening, is the transition ” from risk to resilience”, not only as abstract rhetoric but as an operational strategy based on cross-sectoral cooperation, educational empowerment and institutional vigilance.

This conference seemed to serve as a forum for coordinated action, where researchers, journalists, trade unions, lawyers and public officials came together to build a more resilient journalistic ecosystem.

ICSJ as a hub of resilience: From research to action

The conference in Thessaloniki was a pivotal moment in the transformative process of the ICSJ into an international multi-action body. As Professor Nikos Panagiotou, head of the Centre, stated during the conference: “This meeting marks a shift for the ICSJ from a knowledge centre to a platform for tangible support. By combining research with cross-sectoral collaborations and educational tools, we are providing practical support to journalists working under pressure” (Panagiotou, personal communication, 15 June 2025).

The variety of topics that emerged, including cybersecurity, to psychological impacts and institutional guarantees, reflects the expansion of the Centre’s mission, where, according to Mr Panagiotou, the need to recognise journalists as a public good is now more relevant than ever: “Access to reliable information must be recognised as a public good. This is the cornerstone of any great democratic endeavour” (Panagiotou, personal communication, 15 June 2025).

Head of ICSJ, Prof. Nikos Panagiotou
©ICSJ

The conference highlighted key initiatives that expand the international role of the ICSJ and strengthen its cross-sectoral mission. On the one hand, a specialised international meeting dedicated to trauma journalism is being organised with the aim of jointly developing psychological support practices. This initiative aims to bring together specialist psychologists, war correspondents and editors around a common table, laying the foundations for trauma-focused support practices.

At the same time, as Prof. Panagiotou, head of the ICSJ, pointed out, “new collaborations were formed with journalist unions, academic institutions, and civil society organisations to co-create training curricula, safety protocols, and legal support networks.” Partnerships are crucial in shielding journalism with practical means and institutional guarantees at both the national and international levels. Furthermore, particular emphasis is placed on the participation of the new generation of journalists, through interactive problem-solving and strategy-making workshops, with the creativity and digital competence of younger professionals forming the core for the development of sustainable security strategies.

The upgrading of the ICSJ’s mission is sealed by its institutional recognition at international level. Its inclusion in UNESCO’s Global Repository of National Safety Mechanisms and its role as a national contact point in the Council of Europe’s Journalist Matters campaign are indicative steps that confirm its strategic position as a national and international partner for the protection of journalists and the strengthening of press freedom (1).

The international dimension: UNESCO, OSCE, political will

A key feature of the conference was that it was not the product of a single national initiative, but also a point of convergence for global institutional voices on the issue of journalist safety, where the strong international presence at the institutional and rhetorical level highlighted the need to ensure press freedom and the safety of journalists—two things that can no longer be seen as separate. On the contrary, they constitute the foundations of democratic cohesion and political accountability.

Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, placed particular emphasis on the threefold approach of “Prevention – Protection – Prosecution”, which forms the basis of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. With sharp and well-documented rhetoric, he presented the Organisation’s latest reports: “Between 2022 and 2023, 162 journalists and media workers were killed globally. This marks a 38% increase from the previous biennium. Even more alarming: 86% of these crimes remain unresolved.”

According to Jelassi, the most pressing issue now is the adoption of “institutional protection mechanisms that are not limited to occasional training but are integrated into national political cultures.” At the same time, he praised Greece’s decision to host institutional and educational programmes such as the ICSJ, adding: “We commend the ICSJ for its leadership in this area. Its inclusion in the UNESCO Global Repository of National Safety Mechanisms reflects a strong commitment to both national and international standards of journalist safety.”

Panel 1: Advancing Journalist Safety: National Policies, Legislative Efforts, and International Cooperation
Moderator: Yannis Kotsifos, Director, Journalists Union of Macedonia and Thrace.
Speakers: Nikolaos Panagiotou, Head, ICSJ, Professor, Department of Journalism and Communication, Aristotle University. Guildo Keel, Senior Advisor to the OSCE RfoM Office. Aikaterini Polyzou, Head of Department for Audiovisual Media & Internet, Secretariat General for Communication. and Media. Nedjeljko Rudovic, General Director Media Directorate Government of Montenegro. ©ICS

On behalf of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Jan Braathu, Head of the Mission for Media Freedom, sent a clear message in favour of political awareness, recognising the escalating threats faced by journalists within OSCE member states: “Across the OSCE region, journalists continue to face an array of threats: from being targeted and accosted when covering demonstrations, to surveillance measures and derogatory campaigns that aim to discredit their role.”

Braathu placed particular emphasis on institutional cooperation with the ICSJ, recognising its importance as a place of education and a symbolic pillar for the legitimisation of the journalistic mission. He stated that, “The safety of journalists is not just about their physical integrity. It is a matter of democratic resilience,” concluding with: “Only safe journalists can contribute effectively to providing the information that citizens need in order to participate in democratic governance.”

Of particular interest was the statement by Tamara Vujović, Minister of Culture and Media of Montenegro, which, with a population of less than 650,000, has more than 200 active media outlets and a lively, though often polarised, public sphere. Despite the structural obstacles and historical challenges in the Western Balkans region, the Minister emphasised the government’s political will to create an institutionally guaranteed environment of security and independence for journalists.”We cannot change all the conditions, but we can build together a system that offers security to those who dare to speak out. We need institutions, not just good intentions” (1).

The Minister also emphasised the importance of cross-border cooperation and common European tools, reinforcing the belief that the safety of journalists is not just a problem for the ‘great powers’ or war zones, but a common European issue that also concerns transitional democracies — where institutions are tested daily and the political protection of information is not a given. The common denominator of the interventions was the need for access to high-quality, reliable data in order to substantiate intervention, dismantle impunity and build policies on solid ground. On this basis, cross-sectoral cooperation and the institutionalisation of accountability were presented not as an ‘ambition’ but as a necessity.

 

Photojournalism on the front line: Trauma, resilience and human vulnerability

One of the most  memorable moments of the conference was the public sharing of experiences by photojournalists Lefteris Pitarakis and Kostas Tsironis. The two professionals, with many years of experience in crisis zones ranging from war zones to natural disaster areas, gave voice to what often remains unsaid: the psychological consequences of professional trauma and the fine line between the realism of the lens and the need for survival of the person behind it.

Kostas Tsironis, photojournalist for the ANA-MPA (Athens News Agency-Macedonia Press Agency) referred to “a bipolar situation” between moments of adrenaline during a mission and the return to normality. “You cover fires, crises, extreme events… and then you come home, and it’s as if nothing happened. This alternation can mess with your mind.” His description of the period of economic crisis in Greece was deeply personal and human, with a breaking point of mental collapse that reminded him that “neither alcohol nor substitutes are the solution.” Instead, what is needed is ‘someone close to you, to be there.’ At the same time, he spoke realistically about his pessimism regarding the prospect of institutional support from the respective unions, acknowledging the “hard and resistant mindset” that prevails, often at the expense of the mental state of media professionals.

In the same context, Lefteris Pitarakis, photo and video journalist with the Associated Press who has experience in war zones such as Afghanistan, Palestine and Iraq, described the need for conscious distancing: “Behind the camera there is professional, not personal, involvement.” Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the mental pressure is constant and that many colleagues resort to substances to cope with the trauma: “You don’t need whisky, you need water and someone to be there for you.” Equally significant was his reference to the DART Centre for Journalism and Trauma, emphasising the need to incorporate such mental health practices into more institutional and national frameworks. Ultimately, both interventions converged on one vital truth: the first step in addressing trauma is not treatment, but presence, simply being there. A humane, unadorned, and essential reminder.

 

 

Panel: Frontline Frames: Acclaimed Photojournalists on Documenting Conflict, Crisis, and Human Resilience
Moderator: Ilias Nikezis, Executive Director of ICSJ
Speakers:
Lefteris Pitarakis, Videojournalist, The Associated Press
Kostas Tsironis, Photojournalist, Athenian Macedonian News Agency
©ICSJ

A Survival Seminar for Journalists

Among the practical workshops that stood out at the conference, the First Aid seminar for field journalists was one of the most direct and useful interventions. Designed to meet the real needs of reporters covering protests, war zones or natural disasters, the seminar offered basic but critical knowledge on how to deal with emergencies.

Participants were trained in skills such as treating injuries, performing CPR, recognising critical symptoms and safely transporting injured persons, through realistic scenarios and on-site simulations. Most participants described the experience as “one of the most meaningful and necessary we have ever had” while several noted that this type of practical training should be mandatory in journalism education programmes as well as in media editorial guidelines.

The workshop reinforced the conference’s philosophy that safety is not only an institutional or technical issue, but also a matter of daily preparedness, survival and camaraderie in the field.


©ICSJ

Policy recommendations and the day after

At the close of the conference, it was clear that the protection of journalists cannot be limited to advocacy, but requires structural interventions, collaborative frameworks and political accountability, so that safety is institutionalised and implemented in practice, not as exceptions but as the rule.

As Nikos Panagiotou, Head of the ICSJ, pointed out, “this conference marks a shift from academic recording to practical co-creation of solutions. The ICSJ is not just a research hub, it is a field of convergence, intervention and care for those on the front line of information.” The cross-sectoral participation and alliances that have emerged, he stressed, “pave the way for the creation of institutional tools, both within and beyond borders.” At the same time, cooperation with journalistic associations, academic institutions and NGOs is a second pillar of intervention. Specific proposals concern:

  • Integrating safety training modules into higher education
  • Creating joint legal support networks for journalists at risk
  • Establishing internal safety protocols within editorial teams and news organisations.

A key factor is the active participation of the younger generation, which was seen not only as a moral obligation but also as a practical key to innovation. Younger journalists participated in interactive workshops and co-creation processes, proposing, among other things, digital alert tools in cases of attack or surveillance, as well as peer-to-peer information campaigns on social media.

As Ambassador Jan Braathu (OSCE) aptly noted, “only safe journalists can serve democracy. Safety is a prerequisite, not a privilege.”

The discussion on the creation of a pan-European risk monitoring mechanism was put on the table by representatives of international organisations and is expected to be revisited at the next conference. The proceedings concluded with a shared understanding that collective commitment can be translated into concrete, implementable policies.

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