World Press Freedom Day

  Spain follows a trend monitored in several other European countries regarding the safety of journalists during demonstrations, which is becoming an increasingly risky place for media professionals on assignment. With six alerts, they are the main context for physical assaults, threat to professional equipment, and insults. Physical assaults included a protester punching a journalist in the face, journalists hit with batons by riot police, and shot at  point blank range with non-lethal detonating ammunition. During a protest, journalists’ equipment was damaged, with black paint sprayed on one of the camera lenses to prevent them from continuing to record. In February, the newsroom and office building of El Periodico de Catalunya was damaged by protesters who smashed the windows and painted the doors, while shouting anti-media slogans. Finally, Sonia Lopez , Marta Madonado , and a reporting crew for La Sexta TV were insulted and harassed while covering anti-mask and anti...

  Media freedom in Turkey remains the worst of the countries monitored by the MFRR, with continued and systematic repression of independent journalism. Over 170 media outlets have been forcibly closed since 2016 and at the time of publishing, 38 journalists remain behind bars. MapMF recorded 92 alerts in Turkey in the year 2021, involving 153 attacked persons or entities related to media. In addition to physical violence, police pressure and crippling fines by regulators, civil lawsuits, and criminal sanctions in the courts create an extremely hostile climate for watchdog journalism. Violations monitored during the year represent the tip of the iceberg of the ongoing and widespread attack on media critical of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP. Legal persecution remains the most per‐ vasive threat and made up nearly half of the recorded attacks (49%. Criminal charges related to the alleged dissemination of propaganda and terrorism-related crimes are common sanctions use...