New York, October 11, 2024—German authorities must investigate emailed bomb threats made against several broadcasting centers for the regional public radio station Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) on Saturday, October 5, and ensure the safety of the outlet’s journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.
“CPJ is concerned by the bomb threats targeting MDR broadcasting centers in Magdeburg and Erfurt,” said Attila Mong, CPJ’s Europe representative. “Threats against media outlets disrupt crucial public service broadcasting and create a climate of fear for journalists that can have a chilling effect on press freedom. German authorities must investigate, identify those responsible, and take measures to prevent such threats in the future.”
On Saturday afternoon, the centers in Magdeburg, the capital of central Saxony-Anhalt state, and Erfurt, in central Thuringian state, were temporarily evacuated before police gave the all-clear and began a criminal investigation.
CPJ emailed the Saxony-Anhal and Thuringia police’s press department requesting comment on the pending investigation but did not receive a reply.