Good morning,
On Tuesday, Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde mingled with a group of journalists at the royal Congo greenhouse just outside Brussels.
Aside from the wild display of sub-tropical plants amid opulent references to Belgium's brutal colonial past, the event marked a gathering of media increasingly squeezed by press restrictions and threats across much of Europe.
"The profession of journalist has become more challenging, more difficult, but is more than ever essential for the vitality of our democracy," said King Philippe in a speech.
The staunch defence of press freedoms from a monarch under constant public scrutiny points to the extent at which progressive democracies are receding across the globe. "This democratic principle is unfortunately losing ground in the world, like democracy itself," noted the King, in what appeared to be a veiled comment directed at US president Donald Trump.
He is not wrong. But the trend also started before Trump became the US president for a second time some 100 days ago.
Journalists in Europe have for years faced threats, spanning everything from verbal harassment, legal threats, physical assault, attacks on property, incitement, smear campaigns and censorship.
Last year, politicians and businesses used strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPP) suits to silence journalists or activists in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, North Macedonia and Serbia, said Amnesty International.
Journalists in Greece who exposed its Predator spyware scandal are facing lawsuits from Grigoris Dimitriadis, nephew of the Greek Prime Minister and former secretary general of the prime minister’s office. In Italy, an Italian investigative journalist had his phone infected with Paragon spyware.
Intrusive spyware like 'Pegasus' has also targeted opposition politicians, civil society and journalists alike, creating a climate of fear where sources risk exposure or worse. In Spain, at least 65 people, mostly in Catalonia, were targeted by Pegasus spyware. There are other examples.
But even asking questions, the backbone of reporting, can land you in trouble. Earlier this year, Hungarian authorities detained journalists from the independent online outlet Telex for wanting to question prime minister Viktor Orbán. They were detained and questioned for three hours.
In Italy, it can potentially get you killed. In February, four Italian television journalists came under gunshot fire while reporting on alleged child abuse.
– Nikolaj Nielsen, home affairs editor
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