The International conference “Threatened Journalists, Attackers Unpunished in Italy and in the World”, organised by “Ossigeno per l’Informazione”, under the patronage of UNESCO took place on 22 October 2018 at the Italian Senate (9.30-13.30) to contribute to the UN International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (on November 2). The event raised awareness and advocated for the creation of a public agency in Italy in charge of monitoring attacks on journalists and for the implementation of safety measures, creating a national platform similar to the one operated by the Council of Europe. The conference also called on the Italian Parliament to decriminalise defamation.
In addition to relevant national authorities, a number of representatives from international organizations delivered their message, including, Mr. Guy Berger, Director of the UNESCO Division of Freedom of Expression and Media Development, Ms Dunja Mijatović , Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and Mr Harlem Desir, OESCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.
Ms Francesca Montagna, administrator at the Information Society Department, underlined that the Council of Europe has made it a priority to reverse the current trend of a decline in the safety of journalists. She provided information on Council of Europe instruments, notably: the Recommendation adopted by the Committee of Ministers in 2016 on the “Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists and other Media Actors” and its new implementation strategy as well as related cooperation activities. She also gave an overview on the Platform to Promote the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists. She also highlighted that a first step towards the implementation of the Recommendation is its translation into the national language, followed by an assessment on how to best implement it into the given legal domestic framework.
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