The Supreme Court’s decision to acquit journalist and author Johanna Vehkoo of defamation charges against Oulu politician Junes Lokka is important and reassuring for freedom of expression, said UJF President Hanne Aho following the judgement, 11 January. The ruling overturns those of lower courts that imposed and upheld Vehkoo’s conviction over a private Facebook postRead More
Three journalists from the national daily Helsingin Sanomat have been charged today for publicising a security secret and attempting to do so. The charges are extremely serious for freedom of expression. Helsingin Sanomat published an article in December 2017 about the Defense Forces’ Intelligence Research Centre. The Finnish Constitution was being urgently amended at theRead More
The press freedom situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated rapidly from difficult to impossible under Taliban rule. New media regulations were introduced on September 19, placing restrictions on independent media and freedom of expression. The regulations stipulate, for instance, that stories “contrary to islam” cannot be published. The International Federation of Journalists condemned the coercive restrictions,Read More
(Trade Union News from Finland – Heikki Jokinen) Journalists from Afghanistan have arrived safely in Finland, say the Union of Journalists in Finland UJF. The Union accommodates them with their family members temporarily in flats the union owns. For security reasons, the Union cannot disclose yet how many people have arrived and how they gotRead More
The highest decision-making body of the UJF, the Council, met remotely for its spring session from 20 to 21 May 2021. The meeting dealt with matters ranging from the rules of teleworking to government support for the media, EU copyright rules, occupational health for freelancers, the work of the Mediakunta cooperative, solidarity with journalists inRead More
The Nordic countries top the global Press Freedom Index published 20 April by Reporters Without Borders. However, press freedom has deteriorated around the world, particularly in Europe. Only 12 European countries can claim to offer a favourable environment for journalism, fewer than ever before. Germany, for example, dropped from the top group because of repeatedRead More
The UJF premiered, 23 March, a documentary programme on the history of the union to mark the hundredth anniversary of the creation of the journalists union and held a discussion attended virtually by some 350 union members. The programme was made for the union by Gimmeyawallet Productions. The documentary, a 13-minute fast paced overview ofRead More
The Union of Journalists in Finland has appealed to the Finnish government to exert pressure on Belarus to release imprisoned journalists and withdraw criminal charges against journalists. The union is also concerned about cases of persecution, torture and ill-treatment taking place in Belarus. The UJF has sent the appeal to Prime Minister Sanna Marin andRead More
“Everyone in Finland is entitled to be informed and take part in debate. We must adhere to this unerringly over the next hundred years too,” said UJF president Hanne Aho as the union approaches its centenary on 28 March next year. The centenary will start to be celebrated and marked by various events starting inRead More
The autumn session of the UJF Council met in Helsinki 3-4 December, and discussed the work of the union and priorities affecting the media in light of the impact of the covid-19 pandemic. The Council session was held remotely due to the pandemic. UJF president Hanne Aho highlighted the need for quality news media duringRead More