«Нападения и угрозы в отношении журналистов растут тревожными темпами. Это опасно как для журналистов, так и для всей демократии. Государствам-членам необходимо незамедлительно устранить разрыв между стандартами и реальностью», — заявила Комиссар Совета Европы по правам человека Дуня Миятович в рамках конференции ЮНЕСКО, посвященной Всемирному дню свободы печати 2023 года, в штаб-квартире ООН в Нью-Йорке 2 мая.
"Improving the safety of journalists and other media professionals should be a top priority for member states. This includes providing timely police protection, ending impunity for attacks on journalists, and enacting laws that protect journalists and shield them from undue pressure. Regrettably, the tendency today in several member states is to abuse the law to silence the press," the Commissioner said. "There is also a need for member states to exert more peer pressure at the multilateral level on countries that fail to meet their obligations to protect and facilitate the work of a free, pluralistic and safe press," the Commissioner said.
The Commissioner also attended an event organised by the Media Freedom Coalition on 1 May on safe refuge for journalists in exile. "Granting emergency visas to journalists and their families is crucial, but not enough. They need psychological, practical and legal support to rebuild their lives abroad and continue their journalistic work. Many valuable efforts are being made by several states, including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Germany and Canada. We now need to overcome fragmentation in efforts to help more journalists and human rights defenders to defend democracy, the rule of law and human rights from their place of exile," said the Commissioner.