Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland made the following statement today:
"Although the motives remain unclear, this week we have again witnessed a brutal murder of a journalist in a Council of Europe member State – the fourth in a year.
We cannot remain passive following such an outburst of violence. Attacks on journalists are attacks on our democracies. These acts aim to intimidate the entire profession.
Information comes at a price and too often it is journalists that pay. They put themselves at risk when they point to abuses of power, uncover corruption or human rights violations.
I call on member states to implement without delay the Council of Europe Recommendation on the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists.
It is time to make Europe’s journalists free of fear."
