News (Safety of Journalists)
World Press Freedom Day
2024 election year: Secretary General urges governments to protect journalists to safeguard democracy
In a statement to mark World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić said: “As millions of citizens in Europe and other continents vote in crucial elections in 2024, we must recall the critical role that journalists and quality media play in...
(anglais seulement)
Safety of Journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Preparation of the Pilot Report
Are journalists truly safe and adequately protected in Bosnia and Herzegovina? This question extends beyond the concerns of media professionals; it resonates as a societal issue affecting us all. Bringing together representatives from pivotal beneficiary and partner institutions across the state,...
(anglais seulement)
Empowering Legal Professionals from North Macedonia to safeguard journalists and freedom of expression
To uphold the principles of freedom of expression and protection of journalists, a capacity-building initiative was organised in Gevgelija gathering legal professionals from various backgrounds including judges, prosecutors, and lawyers. They worked together during the three-day training course...
Threats to the Safety of Journalists in Serbia: New Report
Institutional pressures are a form of a threat that most journalists in Serbia often and regularly encounter in their work (46.2%), followed by economic pressures or job insecurity (40.2%). 29.9% of journalists often or regularly encounter the problem of targeting and smear campaigns, and 30.5%...
A practical tool to support member States in the effective implementation of existing standards aimed at ensuring the safety of journalists
On the occasion of the launch of the Campaign for the Safety of Journalists and of the first meeting of the designated National Focal Points, the Council of Europe published the Extended Implementation Guide to the Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)4 on the protection of journalism and safety of...
2 November: International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
Impunity is an increasingly worrying trend that has developed into a real culture of impunity for crimes against journalists, with serious consequences on journalistic work and people's access to information of public interest. Combating impunity and the constantly developing tendancy of allowing...
Local and regional media: Council of Europe Congress calls for more support to prevent local media deserts
Grassroots media play a key role in upholding local democracy, and authorities at all levels can and should take steps to strengthen grassroots media, finds a new report on local and regional media, presented by co-rapporteurs, Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden, SOC/G/PD) and Mélanie Lepoultier (France,...
“Journalists matter”: Council of Europe launches campaign for the safety of journalists
The Council of Europe has launched a continent-wide Campaign for the Safety of Journalists to be run under the slogan “Journalists matter”, aimed at improving the safety of journalists and protecting media freedom across the continent, as well as raising awareness about the role journalists play...
Conference in Riga on freedom of expression and safety of journalists: campaign launch
The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and the Ombudsman’s Office, together with the Council of Europe, are organising an international conference in Riga on 5 and 6 October on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists. Organised as part of the Latvian...
Workshop on the existing initiatives on the safety of journalists
On 1st and 2nd of June, the Media and Internet division of the Information Society Department of the Council of Europe is organising a workshop on the existing initiatives on the safety of journalists. This workshop is taking place in Strasbourg and brings together representatives of Council of...
Journalists and Members of the Press in Armenia Targeted by Pegasus Spyware
On 25 May 2023, a group of rights organisations and Internet watchdogs issued a joint report revealing that Pegasus spyware was used to surveil a number of public figures in Armenia, including at least five Armenian members of the press. The report, “Hacking in a war zone: Pegasus spyware in the...
The Council of Europe Campaign for the Safety of Journalists presented in Brussels
The Media and Internet Governance of the Information Society Department of the Council of Europe was represented by Ms Rodica Ciochina at the final conference Safety4Journalists, organized by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day. During the...
Protection of journalists discussed in New York
In the first week of May, Patrick Penninckx, Head of the Information Society Department, had a series of meetings in New York to strengthen international cooperation on media freedom and the safety of journalists. On 1st May he took part in the Media Freedom Coalition events: MFC strategy...
Press Freedom Day: Secretary General urges European states to protect journalism and enhance safety of journalists
In a statement to mark World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, Council of Europe´s Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić urged European governments to make the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists and other media actors a political priority: “As journalists and other media actors...
Workshop to support Russian journalists in exile
In March 2022, when excluding Russia from the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers noted that “the Council of Europe will take initiatives to support and engage with human rights defenders, democratic forces, free media and independent civil society in the Russian Federation”. Outlining...
Launch of the initiative "Journalists Matter" for the protection and safety of journalists in Cyprus
Cypriot Press and Information Office launched the "Journalists Matter" initiative ahead of the Council of Europe's campaign for the safety of journalists, to be launched in the fall of 2023. Patrick Penninckx, head of the Information Society Department of the Council of Europe, participated in...
Belarus journalists in exile meet in Strasbourg
The Council of Europe and the Strasbourg Group of Friends on the Safety of Journalists and Media Freedom are organising a workshop on 21-22 March 2023 in Strasbourg, with some 30 journalists, representing Belarusian media, support mechanisms and journalists’ associations in the “host” European...
Media Freedom as a Central Pillar of Comprehensive Security
On 13-14 March 2023 the Austrian Hofburg hosted the First Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting under the title “Media Freedom as a Central Pillar of Comprehensive Security”. Organised by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights the event provides a platform for an exchange of...
Upcoming Campaign for Safety of Journalists discussed with Platform Partners
On 8 of March 2023 Brussels held a meeting between the Council of Europe and the Partners of the Safety of Journalists Platform to examine the strategy for launching a coordinated Europe-wide Campaign for Safety of Journalists. Patrick Penninckx, Head of the Information Society Department...
European Media Freedom Act assessed
On January 31, the Council of Europe took part in public hearing on the European Media Freedom Act proposal, organised by the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) in association with CULT and IMCO Committees. The new bill looks at fixing many...
"Everyone has the right to freedom of expression"
Art. 10 European Convention on Human Rights
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