Royaume-Uni, chapitre national
Les Journalistes comptent, Campagne du Conseil de l'Europe pour la sécurité des journalistes
Le Conseil de l'Europe encourage les Etats membres à transposer la Campagne dans le contexte national. Sans l'effort engagé et efficace de chaque membre au niveau national, à travers le développement de ce que l'on appelle le "chapitre national", la Campagne ne peut atteindre ses objectifs.
Dans cette section, nous présenterons les développements au Royaume-Uni :
Point focal national
Mme Janis MAKAREWICH-HALL, Directrice adjointe pour la radio, la publicité et la presse, Service de la culture, des médias et du sport
Comité de la campagne nationale
Suite à une recommandation de l'OSCE, le Comité national pour la sécurité des journalistes (NCSJ) a été créé en 2020 pour veiller à ce que les journalistes travaillant au Royaume-Uni puissent le faire à l'abri des menaces physiques, des abus et de la violence. Le comité est coprésidé par le ministre des médias, du tourisme et des industries créatives du ministère de la culture, des médias et des sports et le ministre des victimes et de la sauvegarde du ministère de l'intérieur, et comprend des représentants de haut niveau des autorités de police et de poursuite, des organisations de journalisme et des organisations non gouvernementales de l'ensemble du Royaume-Uni (liste complète des membres).
Le comité se réunit deux fois par an et a maintenant réalisé des progrès significatifs sur les actions définies dans la première itération du plan d'action nationale pour la sécurité des journalistes, publié en 2021, et a lancé un plan d'action nationale actualisée en 2023. Le Comité s'est réuni sept fois à ce jour, tandis qu'une série d'engagements bilatéraux entre les membres et le secrétariat ont lieu régulièrement tout au long de l'année.
The key output of the NCSJ to date has been the National Action Plan which sets out how UK journalists will be protected from threats of violence or intimidation. The Plan focuses on five key areas:
- Increasing our understanding of the problem: It is clear that many journalists currently working in the UK do not feel safe from threats, abuse and physical harm. Journalist safety in the UK is an ever-evolving issue and we are taking steps to build a firm evidential base to ensure action is appropriately targeted;
- Enhancing the criminal justice system response in tackling crimes against journalists: Where the harm caused to a journalist amounts to a criminal offence, it is crucial that everything possible is done to bring those responsible to justice. We are taking steps to ensure there is an understanding of the nature and scale of the problem on the part of the police and prosecutors across the UK;
- Supporting journalists and their employers to build the resources they need to protect personal safety: In order for effective action to be taken when a threat is received, journalists need to understand the options available to them, and be supported by their employers in preventing and addressing threats. We are taking steps to equip journalists with the right tools and information to maintain their safety as much as possible;
- Helping online platforms to tackle the wider issue of abuse online: The government has recognised the importance of addressing this issue given the increasing consumption of digital news content and journalists’ lack of confidence in how best to resolve instances of online abuse. We are taking steps to ensure that the internet is a safe space for journalists in the UK.
- Improving public recognition of the value of journalists: It is crucial that citizens recognise that a free and independent media is of fundamental importance. We are taking steps to uphold an environment where journalists are free to carry out their work. Many of the commitments in the original National Action Plan have now been delivered.
These include:
- DCMS and the Home Office published analysis from a Call for Evidence during Journalism Matters Week 2021;
- A legal guide for journalists in England and Wales to combat online harassment and abuse was published in 2021;
- Publication of a media literacy strategy, which takes a sector-focused approach to support organisations undertaking media literacy activity to do so in a more wide-reaching and effective way;
- The introduction and Royal Assent of the Online Safety Act, which introduces new rules for firms which host user-generated content and enable user to user interaction;
- The appointment of Journalist Safety Liaison Officers by police forces across the UK;
- An online safety toolkit which covers a variety of issues such as physical and digital safety, mental health, as well as signposting a number of other helpful resources.
- A full list of delivered actions to date can be found here.
The Plan was published with the intention of being a dynamic, living document, and there is regular review of it to ensure its commitments reflected changes in the nature of safety concerns faced by journalists in the UK.
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) operating in the UK
The refreshed National Action Plan also reflects the emerging threat of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) to journalists operating in the UK. A SLAPPs Taskforce, led by DCMS and the Ministry of Justice, has been set up to tackle pernicious legislative threats against...