Journalists' Syndicate Calls for Boycott of Foreign Ministry Press Briefings After Deník N Reporter Barred Again

The Syndicate of Journalists of the Czech Republic has called on newsrooms and media representatives to boycott press conferences held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the ministry barred Deník N reporter Kristýna Pokorná from a briefing for the second time.

According to Deník N, its editor submitted an accreditation request on time and in accordance with all the rules, yet the ministry denied her entry without explanation. The Syndicate described the incident as blatant discrimination based on media identity.

Foreign Minister Petr Macinka (Motorists party) said after the press conference that his ministry would from now on organize briefings for "alternative media and conspiracy blogs" as well, and would invite Deník N representatives to those too.

"Discrimination against one outlet today could become discrimination against any other tomorrow. We call on all newsrooms and journalists working in Czechia, including foreign media and news agencies, to unequivocally oppose this practice. If the ministry does not change its approach, publicly apologize, and guarantee equal access to all media without exception, we call for a united boycott of its events," the Syndicate's statement reads.

The organization's chair, Ivana Šulcová, stressed: "State representatives have no right to divide the media into suitable and unsuitable" or to decide which journalists get access to information provided by a state institution. According to her, access to information must be guaranteed on equal terms for everyone who lawfully engages in journalism.

The Syndicate pointed out that state institutions are funded by taxpayers and are obliged to serve all citizens by providing information transparently and without discrimination — regardless of how convenient or inconvenient journalists' questions may be. Dividing reporters into "regular" and "alternative" or "opposition" journalists, the organization argues, undermines the principle of media equality and restricts the freedom of the profession.

Deputy chair of the Syndicate Magdaléna Sodomková added that international press-freedom organizations working to protect media freedom and journalists' rights have already been informed of the situation, since the case must be viewed in the context of previous attacks on press freedom in Czechia.

Macinka responded by saying the Syndicate had "misunderstood the situation": according to him, the ministry is, on the contrary, broadening the range of participants at its press conferences by inviting representatives of alternative media. He also accused the organization of not reacting as vigorously to the actions of the previous government, which in 2022, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, temporarily blocked pro-Kremlin disinformation websites — thereby attempting to draw a comparison between Deník N and such outlets.

"On the contrary, we're going to start inviting them to press conferences, because we're interested in supporting a diversity of opinions. I don't understand why the Journalists' Syndicate has a problem with that," the minister concluded.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz