On the seventh anniversary of the murder of Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová, the partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today mark the date with the publication of a new report examining ongoing threats to media freedom and the safety of journalists.
MFRR partners take this opportunity to remember Ján and Martina, renew our call for full justice over their brutal killing, and call on Slovak authorities to ensure that the mastermind behind the assassination is ultimately prosecuted and convicted. Until all those involved in the February 2018 murder are held accountable and the cycle of impunity is finally broken, a dark cloud will continue to hang over the wider climate for press freedom in Slovakia.
On 21 February, 2018, Kuciak and Kušnírová were fatally shot at their home outside the capital Bratislava. Kuciak was well known for his reporting on corruption for investigative platform Aktuality.sk. He uncovered alleged corruption and tax fraud schemes involving businessman Marián Kočner and prominent figures with suspected ties to the ruling Direction – Social Democracy party (SMER) and organised crime groups.
Despite the hitmen and intermediaries receiving lengthy prison sentences, Kočner, who was accused of masterminding the crime after threatening the journalist, has been twice found not guilty due to a lack of conclusive evidence. Following Kočner’s second acquittal in May 2023, a second appeal is underway at the Supreme Court, which our organisations continue to follow closely.
As the report underscores, this continued failure to fully resolve the murders remains a stark reminder of the dangers journalists face in Slovakia, where media workers continue to be subjected to intimidation, smear campaigns, verbal abuse and legal harassment. More widely, the media landscape in Slovakia is facing a crisis, serving as a critical test case for the European Union’s commitment to safeguarding media freedom and democratic values.
Representatives of MFRR partner the International Press Institute (IPI) will be in Bratislava on 21 February to take part in commemoration events for the anniversary. The MFRR continues to stand with the families of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová, and all those fighting to ensure full justice in this case, now and as long as it takes to secure accountability.
Signed:
ARTICLE 19 Europe
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
International Press Institute (IPI)
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
This statement was coordinated by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States, Candidate Countries and Ukraine.
