The number of reported physical (for example through intimidation, harassment, assaults) threats of journalists
Need to put in place efficient safeguards to improve physical safety and working environment of journalists and efficiently investigate threats against journalists.
The Council of Europe 2022 Rule of Law Report recommended Slovakia to “advance with the process to establish legislative and other safeguards to improve the physical safety and working environment of journalists, including the reform of defamation law, taking into account European standards on the protection of journalists.” However, this recommendation has not been fulfilled.
A survey conducted in November 2022 – January 2023 by the Investigative Centre of Ján Kuciak shows that more than two-thirds (66.2 %) of Slovak journalists have experienced an incident, in the form of an attack or threat, in the past 12 months and 47 % think the number of incidents has increased over 5 years. According to the survey, 33,3 % of Slovak journalists think the intensity of verbal attacks by politicians has increased. The most common incidents are personal or online verbal attacks – 76% respondents, while more than 15 % of journalists have faced threats or intimidation and more than 4 % also experienced a physical attack.