Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists

The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on 20 October 2015 by a majority (the President and three other judges dissenting), that Finland did not violate the freedom of expression of photographer Markus Pentikäinen. Mr Pentikäinen, a photographer for the Finnish magazine Suomen Kuvalehti, was arrested for failing to comply with the police order to leave the scene of the demonstration while he was taking photographs towards the end of the 2006 Smash Asem protest in Helsinki which was violently broken up by the police. Mr Pentikäinen was held in police cells for over 17 hours and was subsequently prosecuted and found guilty of imputed criminal liability. The current situation creates an ongoing threat of arrest and prosecution to journalists covering demonstrations, as police forces and prosecutors will be inclined not to make any difference between the protesters and the journalists covering the event. European governments have now considerable latitude in imposing intrusive measures on journalistic activity in public settings where force is likely to be used by law-enforcement officials. The EFJ, the IFJ, Index on Censorship and Article 19 call on Finland and other CoE member states to adopt a clear legal framework for the treatment of journalists during protests, in order to ensure the right balance between press freedom and public order.