The COVID-19 pandemic that has spread across the world since the beginning of 2020 poses a serious threat to the health, lives and future of all of us. Governments, health authorities and countless professionals are working tirelessly to contain the outbreak and to mitigate its effects. As a result, nearly every aspect of daily life of billions of people world-wide has changed. Finding an effective response to the pandemic is a shared top priority for decisionmakers around the globe. In addition to urgent health-related measures, actions are taken to offset social, economic, labour, cultural, security and other impacts of the crisis.
Media in times of health crises
In line with the Council of Europe Guidelines on protecting freedom of expression and information in times of crisis, the crisis situation should not be used as a pretext for restricting the public's access to information. Neither should states introduce any restrictions on media freedom beyond the limitations allowed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Freedom of expression, media independence and open deliberation, rather than information control, are the core principles underlying European democracy which will allow us to surmount the great challenges facing our countries.
Read more on challenges to freedom of expression and media freedom in the times of crisis and human-rights compliant responses
- Freedom of expression and information and media freedom are crucial for the functioning of a truly democratic society and continue to be so in times of crisis. The provision of timely information about public health risks is a critical element in crisis response.
- Media play a key role, also coupled with increased responsibility, in providing accurate, reliable information to the public, but also in preventing panic and fostering people’s understanding for and cooperation with necessary restriction. Media organisations and journalists should adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards, give priority to authoritative messages regarding the crisis, and refrain from publishing, and thus amplifying, unverified stories.
promoting standards
responses by other sectors
COVID-19 Data Protection
Cybercrime and COVID-19
AI and control of Covid-19 coronavirus
Statement by the Commissioner for Human Rights: Press freedom must not be undermined by measures to counter disinformation about COVID-19
European Audiovisual Observatory: COVID-19 Audiovisual sector measures
Statement from the Chair of the Parliamentary Assembly
statements by trusted partners
- “COVID-19: Governments must promote and protect access to and free flow of information during pandemic”, joint statement by CIDH, RELE, UN and OSCE
- EBU: Coronavirus (COVID-19) contingency measures
- Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression: Disease pandemics and the freedom of opinion and expression
- International Bar Association: WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY - 3 MAY Statement from the High Level Panel on the Covid-19 pandemic
news
"Everyone has the right to freedom of expression"
Art. 10 European Convention on Human Rights
Resources