On 8 of March 2023 Brussels held a meeting between the Council of Europe and the Partners of the Safety of Journalists Platform to examine the strategy for launching a coordinated Europe-wide Campaign for Safety of Journalists. Patrick Penninckx, Head of the Information Society Department presented Campaign Concept and main targets, namely enhancing prevention, protection, prosecution and promotion of information, education and awareness raising. The need for the campaign stems from the rising attacks on journalists and media outlets, as assessed by the study A mission to inform: journalists speak out and most lately by the War on journalism report released by the SoJ Platform. It is confirmed that journalists play a vital role in safeguarding a democratic and pluralistic society and are recognised by the European Court of Human Rights as “public watchdogs”, as outlined in the Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)4 on the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and other media actors and its implementation guide. The Council of Europe intends to partner with national counterparts and other international organisations such as the United Nations, notably UNESCO, the European Union, the Office of the OSCE Representative on Media Freedom, and others to enhance campaign reach and impact. The Campaign will be launched on 5 October 2023 in Riga at a conference promoting media freedom in the digital era, organised by the Latvian chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.
Freedom of expression is one of the foundations of a democratic and pluralistic society. Its corollary is access for everyone to accurate, reliable and timely information, a key precondition for informed public participation. The role of the media and journalists in seeking out, verifying and distributing information is crucial.
States have the responsibility to provide adequate safeguards, both through law and practice, for the effective enjoyment and protection of freedom of expression, including by creating an enabling environment for free and responsible media to flourish and play their essential role in democracy.
The Council of Europe is well placed to help prevent and address the threats to the exercise of the rights and freedoms guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, both offline and in the online environment.
The right to freedom of expression and information constitutes one of the essential foundations of democratic society. In conflict situations and wars, the role of the media is critical in providing the public with accurate and timely information. Trustworthy news and images can contribute to the protection of civilians and conflict prevention, bring to the attention of the international community the horrors and reality of conflict and expose violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.
Visit the "Freedom of expression in times of conflict" webpage
Journalists Matter, the Council of Europe Campaign for the Safety of Journalists is an initiative aiming to promote press freedom and protect journalists from violence, threats, and harassment while performing their duties. As part of this Campaign, the Council of Europe is inviting everyone to support their cause, take action for their enhanced protection, while raising awareness about the importance of safeguarding journalists and their right to report the news freely and without fear.
"Everyone has the right to freedom of expression"
Art. 10 European Convention on Human Rights
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