Journalists Matter, Council of Europe Campaign for the Safety of Journalists
The Council of Europe encourages member states to transpose the Campaign to the national context. Without each member’s committed and effective effort at national level, through the development of the so-called ‘national chapter’, the Campaign cannot reach its goals.
In this section, we will present developments in Luxembourg:
National Focal Points
Ms Sophie KIRSCH, Secretary of Legation, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Cooperation, and Foreign Trade, Directorate of Political Affairs, Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Ms Céline FLAMMANG, Senior policy advisor, Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy, Ministry of State
National Campaign Committee
Luxembourg established in 2024 a working group on the safety of journalists composed of representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Cooperation and Foreign Trade, the Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy Service, the Information and Press Service, the Press Council, and the Luxembourg Association of Professional Journalists. At its first meeting, which was designed to assess the situation of journalists in Luxembourg, the decline in trust in professional journalism, followed by harassment and intimidation reported by journalists, was identified as a major risk. The meeting was held in June 2024, and contacts continued throughout the year.
The coalition agreement 2023-2028 of the Luxembourg Government explicitly mentions the importance of the protection of journalists by stating that “The Government is committed to strengthening the protection of journalists against acts of physical violence and attempts at intimidation. This approach aims to establish a safe and conducive environment for freedom of expression and democracy.”
The government is also providing financial support to the Press Council and the Luxembourg Association of Professional Journalists, which partly can cover expenses relating to the legal protection of their members.
Moreover, Article 5 of the amended Act of 8 June 2004 on freedom of expression in the media includes a provision protecting journalists in the event of a change in editorial line.
Another relevant initiative is the so-called ‘Circulaire Bettel 2’, adopted on 15 June 2022, which aims to improve and strengthen the exchange of information between journalists and the Government by introducing rules and deadlines for responding to requests from journalists.
Luxembourg, National chapter
