The CDJ decided on Wednesday 8 March to suspend its membership in the Alliance of Independent Press Councils of Europe (AIPCE). The Council notes that the unanimous decision of the AIPCE’s November General Assembly to entrust two external mediators with the task of independently resolving the internal crisis that led last October ten Press Councils to withdraw from the network has not yet been followed up and is even called into question.

As a reminder, the dispute arose from the AIPCE inability to find an adequate response to the Ukrainian Press Council’s request, expressed earlier (in March 2022), to exclude the Russian Press Council from the Alliance, considering that it was no longer able to respond independently to its missions. Indeed the October annual General Assembly on this issue failed to reach the required special majority to do so, and concluded in consequence to a status quo that endorsed the membership of the Russian Press Council, pushing the Ukrainian Press Council to leave.

Supporting the decision of its 10 counterparts to withdraw from the alliance, the CDJ stressed at that time that it understood their decision and recalled also its full and complete solidarity with Ukraine. It observed that for its part, it still believed that a mediated solution could be found, respecting the values and principles underlying independent journalistic self-regulation and democracy. He indicated also that it would not exclude reviewing its position if the situation remained unchanged.

In view of the current situation, and despite its best efforts to move forward on this issue, the CDJ now considers it necessary to make a point and announces its immediate suspension from the AIPCE. CDJ specifies that this decision could be reviewed provided that real significant and transparent progress is rapidly agreed upon by all parties, in conformity with the decision taken last November by the General Assembly. CDJ  also underlines that it is prepared to provide its support to help to the mediation process.