Image © Shutterstock In line with the Council of Europe Guidelines on protecting freedom of expression and information in times of crisis, the crisis situation should not be used as a pretext for restricting the public's access to information. Neither should states introduce any restrictions on media freedom beyond the limitations allowed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Freedom of expression, media independence and open deliberation, rather than information control, are the core principles underlying European democracy which will allow us to surmount the great challenges facing our countries.

Toolkit by the Secretary General on the impact of the sanitary crisis on freedom of expression and media freedom (SG/Inf(2020)19)

Read more on challenges to freedom of expression and media freedom in the times of crisis and human-rights compliant responses

  • Freedom of expression and information and media freedom are crucial for the functioning of a truly democratic society and continue to be so in times of crisis. The provision of timely information about public health risks is a critical element in crisis response.
  • Media play a key role, also coupled with increased responsibility, in providing accurate, reliable information to the public, but also in preventing panic and fostering people’s understanding for and cooperation with necessary restriction. Media organisations and journalists should adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards, give priority to authoritative messages regarding the crisis, and refrain from publishing, and thus amplifying, unverified stories.
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Back OSCE Human Dimension Meeting on Freedom of Expression, Media and Information

© Shutterstock

© Shutterstock

On June 23, 2020, P. Penninckx, Head of the Information Society Department, participated in the OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting on Freedom of Expression, Media and Information. In the area of freedom of expression, the OSCE and the Council of Europe pursue, within their distinct mandates, a common goal of promoting and ensuring respect for the right to freedom of expression and information as a foundation of democracy, an individual human right and a vital aspect of the rule of law. During the recent COVID-19 outbreak, both organisations have faced the challenge of assisting their member states in combating the coronavirus through measures that are both effective and comply with human rights standards

Mr Penninckx addressed the panel on “Access to information as an essential condition for accountability and citizen participation in public life”, presenting the Council of Europe’s relevant work and activities, especially the Convention on Access to Official Documents (“the Tromsø Convention”) which is expected to enter into force in the next months. Access to accurate and reliable information is of vital importance in the current COVID-19 sanitary crisis, and in this regard Mr Penninckx evoked the toolkit on human rights, democracy and the rule of law in times of the COVID-19 crisis issued by the Council of Europe Secretary General Maria Pejčinović-Burić to the European Governments. Likewise, he described the Council of Europe resources grouped on a dedicated webpage on COVID-19 and freedom of expression and information und underlined the importance of the government dialogue with the media during pandemics.

Strasbourg 23 June 2020
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"Everyone has the right to freedom of expression"

Art. 10 European Convention on Human Rights

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