The Union of Cyprus Journalists (ESK) has expressed its concern regarding the government’s decision to endorse a contentious article within the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which allows for the surveillance of journalists.
The said provision allows for the surveillance of journalists under the banner of “national security,” according to information confirmed by the European Federation of Journalists.
Joining Cyprus in supporting this article are France, Italy, Finland, Greece, Malta, and Sweden, according to the European Federation of Journalists.
ESK aligning its stance with the European Federation of Journalists and various journalist associations across Europe, has voiced apprehension about the potential ramifications, asserting that such measures could deal a severe blow to media freedom, placing journalists and their sources in jeopardy.
“The implications of this controversial provision pose substantial risks to both press freedom and freedom of expression, ultimately threatening democratic processes,” the ESK warned in an official statement on Wednesday.
Consequently, the union is calling on the Cypriot government to reevaluate its position, even at this late stage, and refrain from contributing to the legitimisation of journalist surveillance. ESK is also urging the Cyprus delegation to the European Parliament to take a proactive stance in safeguarding the journalistic community from the looming threats to press freedom.
In a final plea, the ESK is calling upon the European Parliament and the European Commission to firmly reject this controversial provision, stressing that it not only jeopardises the protection of journalistic sources but also poses a significant risk to democracy at large.
“The Union of Journalists of Cyprus, in solidarity with the wider European journalistic community, will persist until the removal and deletion of the contentious provision, which, if enacted, is feared to create more problems than it seeks to solve,” concluded the statement.
According to the European Federation of Journalists, the story dates back to June 2023, when the European Council introduced a new exception to the general ban on deploying spyware against journalists.
It reads that the provisions on effective protection of journalistic sources “is without prejudice to the Member States’ responsibility for safeguarding national security”.
Such an exemption, which would turn in effect the protections originally afforded into empty shells, was rejected by the European Parliament. As the text was voted in October by the MEP’s states, the deployment of spyware could be only decided by an independent judge on a case-by-case basis.
At least seven EU member states are now pushing again for the “national security” exemption, which would legitimise them to spy on journalists.
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