Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
On the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on 2 November, and in the year that marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the following statement was issued in Brussels on behalf of Josep Borrell, Foreign Policy Coordinator, and Vera Jirova, Vice-President of the Commission:
“In these difficult times, marred by wars, conflicts and terrorist acts, we remember and pay tribute to the essential role that journalists and media workers play in the struggle for truth and for human rights. Journalists contribute to combating misinformation and hate speech and maintaining checks and balances on governments and public institutions. They highlight war crimes and human rights violations, sometimes risking their lives.
We strongly condemn the killings, physical attacks, arbitrary arrests, intimidation, harassment and online and offline surveillance that journalists sometimes face while practicing their profession. Media outlets around the world continue to be raided or closed, and journalists are increasingly targeted by legislation that limits freedom of expression, and by arbitrary lawsuits, limiting pluralism and editorial independence and violating freedom of expression.
There can be no impunity for human rights violations and abuses committed against journalists. We call for the development of national frameworks for the safety of journalists, including elements of awareness, prevention, protection and prosecution, with attention to including specific measures for female journalists and those belonging to minorities.
The European Union remains committed to supporting independent journalists and media workers everywhere. We will continue to mobilize all diplomatic tools at our disposal to draw attention to individual cases of journalists detained or at risk. We also created ProtectDefenders.eu to provide high-risk journalists with physical and digital protection, legal support and transportation.
The European Union stands united in support of the UN human rights system, including the crucial work of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and UNESCO to promote the safety of journalists and identify common solutions.
Within the framework of Europe's Global Program for Human Rights and Democracy, the European Union is providing €185 million to support independent media and harness digitalization around the world.
Protecting journalists means protecting our rights. Democracy cannot succeed without a free and independent media. That's why the European Union is also taking unprecedented steps at home to protect journalists.
We call on Member States to implement the Committee's recommendation on the safety of journalists. The proposed media freedom law aims to protect the independence and pluralism of the media. The Commission has also taken measures to counter strategic lawsuits against public participation, which puts pressure on journalists and wants to silence them. These legislative proposals should be adopted quickly to improve the environment in which journalists and media operate and set global standards.
The European Union stands with journalists around the world who, every day, exercise their freedom of expression for the benefit of us all.
The European Union continues to promote and protect the right to freedom of opinion and expression both online and offline, as well as freedom of the media, and condemns harassment, threats and attacks against journalists, bloggers and other media workers. As outlined in the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy for 2020-2024, the EU works around the world to help those who are intimidated or threatened, by appealing to state authorities to prevent and condemn human rights violations and taking effective measures to end impunity. In 2021, the European Union also adopted a Recommendation on the Protection of Journalists, highlighting the importance of ensuring the safety of journalists and media professionals within the European Union. Last year, the Commission adopted a proposal to address Strategic Litigations Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), providing journalists and human rights defenders with the tools to respond to arbitrary court proceedings. Furthermore, we have made the protection of journalists one of the core elements of the European Media Freedom Act, which was introduced in September 2022.
Independent non-governmental organizations document an impunity rate of up to 80% in murders against journalists in recent years. As of October 2023, the UNESCO Observatory on Murdered Journalists has documented 688 ongoing and unresolved cases related to the killing of journalists. The Journalist Safety Indicators developed by UNESCO, as well as its Observatory on Murdered Journalists, are essential tools for highlighting individual cases and putting an end to impunity.
ProtectDefenders.eu is the European Union mechanism for human rights defenders, created to protect high-risk defenders facing the most difficult situations around the world. The mechanism provides financial assistance for physical and digital protection, legal support, medical support, monitoring of trials and monitoring of arrests or imprisonment, family support, training, and other support measures.
The EU Global Program on Human Rights and Democracy in Europe includes the priority of “protecting fundamental freedoms, including harnessing the opportunities and addressing the challenges of digital and new technologies.” The program aims to strengthen the capacity of independent, pluralistic and quality media, including investigative journalists, bloggers and fact-checkers, to provide the public with reliable information through responsible and professional reporting. It will support civil society in promoting online media literacy and digital skills The estimated budget to support media and harness digitalization is €185 million for the period 2021-2027. The program is complemented by further support at the bilateral and regional levels.
Through projects, such as the Media 4 Democracy initiative, our delegations can strengthen their work with journalists around the world. We are committed to continuing to provide financial assistance to promote media freedom and promote media pluralism projects, including those supporting independent journalists in exile in the Union.
The European Union Special Representative for Human Rights raises the issue of safety and protection of journalists and media workers, as well as issues related to freedom of expression in his bilateral communications, where appropriate. This also includes highlighting individual cases of journalists and media workers imprisoned or detained for their work as well as regular engagement with civil society.