The European Union remains committed to engage with governments, the media and civil society, both in international fora as well as at the local level, to take initiative and strengthen press freedom around the world, says a Statement by the High Representative Josep Borrell on behalf of the European Union issued on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, IPN reports. “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers,” stated the European official. The statement says that “while the preservation of free, independent and pluralistic media is vital for resilient and healthy democracies, press freedom is at stake in most parts of the world today. Journalists, media workers and all those who bring independent quality information to the public, shed light on the gross human rights violations and atrocities and hold those in power to account increasingly face discredit, threats and attacks, including through disinformation. “Reporters in an attacked Ukraine, journalists in Belarus and Afghanistan, independent media in the Middle East and North Africa, local journalists in Central America, the Nobel Prize laureates in the Philippines and Russia and many other media workers worldwide, including in Europe, continue to pay a high price for exercising their profession. Women journalists are particularly vulnerable to threats and increasing attacks, both offline and online. They are exposed to stigmatization, sexist hate speech, trolling, sexual and gender-based violence and even murder. 73% of women journalists have experienced online threats, abuse and harassment in the course of their work. We have never seen as many women journalists in detention as today.” The EU condemns all forms of threats and violence against journalists and support media workers in danger through local missions and via dedicated programs, such as the Safejournalists platform in the Western Balkans, the Support to independent media and fundamental freedoms project in Cambodia and the Media Resilience program in Afghanistan. In parallel, the EU is taking action within the Union: countering Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP), regulating digital services and markets, and proposing an EU Media Freedom Act.
- Extreme caution in traffic urged amidst sleet
- Official exchange rate for date 27.12.2024
- Man gest 15 years for raping 11-year-old stepdaughter
- Official exchange rate for date 26.12.2024
- Documentation of the 140 thousand people who allowed themselves to be corrupted in the elections is just beginning
