<\/p>\n
Paris, 6 December 2019<\/p>\n
Association of European Journalists
\nReporters Without Borders
\nEuropean Federation of Journalists
\nEuropean Centre for Press and Media Freedom
\nSouth East Europe Media Organisation<\/p>\n
Meeting in Paris, this 6 December,
\nWe note that, while European journalists enjoy a generally privileged situation
\ncompared to many other regions of the world, Europe is no longer a completely safe
\nplace for the profession and for press freedom. Indeed we observe that Europe is the
\npart of the world where press freedom has deteriorated the most in recent years.
\nWith the erosion of the “European model”, as mentioned by Reporters Without
\nBorders (RSF) in its latest report on press freedom around the world, journalists have
\nbecome the target of increasingly virulent, even violent, attacks by political leaders.
\nUsing social networks to bypass the sometimes critical mediation of professional
\njournalists, politicians no longer hesitate to designate the press as an outright
\nadversary. They call on their supporters to attack news organisations reputed to be
\nhostile, and obstruct the work of journalists through judicial harassment. This
\nphenomenon is all the more obvious given the current trend of societies towards
\npolarization, which is making public debate increasingly fraught.
\nOver the past five years, the AEJ, the EFJ, RSF and the eleven other partner
\norganisations of the Council of Europe Platform for the Protection of Journalism have<\/p>\n
reported 256 serious violations of press freedom in the member states of the
\nEuropean Union, including 60 cases of violations of the physical integrity of journalists
\n(including 14 murders of journalists in France, Poland, Denmark, the United Kingdom,
\nBulgaria, Slovakia and Malta). Of these 256 press freedom violations in the EU, public
\nauthorities were the direct source of the threat in 57% of cases.
\nIn addition, there have been breaches of the rule of law in several member states of the
\nEuropean Union and the Council of Europe. These weaken the democratic framework
\nessential for the existence of a free and independent press and, by also attacking public
\nbroadcasting, prevent it from playing its essential role fully, particularly during
\nelections. If the rule of law is not respected, the press and the judiciary are at the mercy
\nof politicians.
\nTo this can be added the growing mistrust of elites, supposedly including journalists, as
\nwell as measures restricting individual freedoms and press freedom adopted by
\ngovernments under the guise of combating terrorism, and economic difficulties linked
\nto the crisis in the media sector.
\nAgainst this background, with the press under attack, the credibility of journalists is
\nundermined, public support falters, and a sense of impunity sets in among those who
\nare the subject of investigative journalism.
\nIn addition to the threats and insults of political leaders, we see interference by state
\nauthorities and attacks by criminal organisations operating in Europe, which target
\ninvestigative journalists in particular. In addition to the high-profile cases of Daphne
\nCaruana Galizia and J\u00e1n Kuciak, physical attacks and death threats by mafia groups
\nagainst journalists are frequent in several countries.
\nWhile we welcome the efforts made so far by the European Union and the Council of
\nEurope to respect the rule of law and freedom of the press, we believe that this is not
\nenough to guarantee a healthy and safe environment for this freedom to be fully
\nexercised. For this reason we ask Europe\u2019s political leaders, and the institutions of the
\nEuropean Union:
\n\u25cf To address judicial harassment and “gag procedures”(SLAPPs, strategic
\nlawsuits against public participation) by adopting legislative measures that
\nafford effective protection to journalists against such practices, whose sole
\npurpose is to limit journalists\u2019 freedom of expression, and by ensuring a
\nfavourable and safe environment in which journalists can work;
\n\u25cf To put an end to the application of exorbitant criminal sanctions, including
\nprison sentences, in defamation proceedings in all European states;<\/p>\n
\u25cf To ensure that measures to protect press freedom and pluralism are
\nimplemented effectively by the European Union, by expressly assigning this
\ncompetency to a member of the European Commission;
\n\u25cf To ensure the pluralism and independence of public-service broadcasting so
\nthat it can fully play its public-service role of informing citizens in an inclusive
\nand pluralistic manner, by putting in place effective safeguards against political
\ninterference, in particular with regard to appointments to editorial posts;
\n\u25cf To create an effective early warning mechanism against any violation of press
\nfreedom along the lines of the Council of Europe’s “Platform to strengthen the
\nprotection of journalism and the safety of journalists”;
\n\u25cf To guarantee the integrity of the public space against the spread of false news,
\nwhile fully preserving freedom of information and freedom of speech;
\n\u25cf Impose democratic guarantees in the digital space so as to guarantee freedom
\nof opinion and expression, as promoted by the “Information & Democracy”
\ninitiative launched by Reporters Without Borders;
\n\u25cf To support the Journalism Trust Initiative, also launched by RSF, which aims to
\npromote freedom, independence, pluralism and reliability of information, as
\nwell as other similar initiatives and projects from other organisations
\nrecognised by the journalism community;
\n\u25cf To set up educational programmes on media and news in late primary, and
\nsecondary, education;
\n\u25cf That the European Parliament periodically assess respect for press freedom in
\nall EU member states and candidates for membership, particularly during
\nelection campaigns;
\n\u25cf To extend the powers of the European Ombudsman so that this office may
\nverify compliance with the European Charter of Fundamental Rights not only by
\nthe European institutions but also by all its member states;
\n\u25cf That the member countries of the European Union and the Council of Europe
\nimplement without delay Recommendation 2016\/4 of the Committee of
\nMinisters of the Council of Europe “on the protection of journalism and the
\nsafety of journalists and other media actors\u201d;
\n\u25cf That the member countries of the European Union and the Council of Europe
\nensure that the United Nations: 1. adopt the “International Convention on the
\nSafety and Independence of Journalists and Other Media Professionals”
\nproposed by the International Federation of Journalists, so that crimes and
\nattacks against journalists worldwide no longer go unpunished, and 2. create
\nthe mandate of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the
\nSafety of Journalists, called for by a coalition of more than 100 organisations
\nand media.
\nA free and independent press is the best guarantee for the proper functioning of
\ndemocratic institutions, and a bulwark against authoritarian abuses and manipulation of public opinion. It is in everyone’s interest that the press remains this way, and the
\nduty of public authorities to ensure it.<\/p>\n
Francais<\/p>\n
APPEL<\/p>\n
POUR LE RESPECT DE LA LIBERT\u00c9
\nET DE L\u2019IND\u00c9PENDANCE DE LA PRESSE<\/p>\n
EN EUROPE
\nParis, 6 d\u00e9cembre 2019<\/p>\n
L\u2019Association des journalistes europ\u00e9ens (AEJ)
\nReporters sans fronti\u00e8res (RSF)
\nLa F\u00e9d\u00e9ration europ\u00e9enne des journalistes (FEJ)
\nEuropean Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
\nSouth East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)<\/p>\n
R\u00e9unis \u00e0 Paris ce 6 d\u00e9cembre,
\nConstatent que, si les journalistes europ\u00e9ens jouissent d\u2019une situation globalement
\nprivil\u00e9gi\u00e9e par rapport \u00e0 de nombreuses autres r\u00e9gions du monde, l\u2019Europe ne
\nconstitue plus une zone compl\u00e8tement s\u00fbre pour la profession et pour la libert\u00e9 de la
\npresse, et qu\u2019elle est au contraire la partie du monde o\u00f9 celle-ci se d\u00e9grade le plus ces
\nderni\u00e8res ann\u00e9es.
\nL\u2019\u00e9rosion du \u201cmod\u00e8le europ\u00e9en\u201d telle qu\u2019\u00e9voqu\u00e9e par Reporters sans fronti\u00e8res (RSF)
\ndans son dernier rapport sur la libert\u00e9 de la presse dans le monde a vu les journalistes
\ndevenir la cible d\u2019attaques de plus en plus virulentes, voire violentes, de la part des
\nresponsables politiques. Utilisant les r\u00e9seaux sociaux pour contourner le relais parfois
\ncritique que constituent les journalistes professionnels, ils n\u2019h\u00e9sitent plus \u00e0 d\u00e9signer la
\npresse comme un adversaire \u00e0 part enti\u00e8re, et appellent leurs partisans \u00e0 s\u2019en prendre
\naux m\u00e9dias r\u00e9put\u00e9s hostiles et \u00e0 leurs journalistes, lorsqu\u2019ils n\u2019entravent pas leur
\nactivit\u00e9 au travers du harc\u00e8lement judiciaire. Un ph\u00e9nom\u00e8ne d\u2019autant plus \u00e9vident que
\nles soci\u00e9t\u00e9s tendent \u00e0 se polariser, rendant le d\u00e9bat public de plus en plus tendu.<\/p>\n
Ces cinq derni\u00e8res ann\u00e9es, l\u2019AEJ, la FEJ, RSF et les onze autres organisations partenaires de la
\nPlateforme du Conseil de l\u2019Europe pour la Protection du Journalisme ont relev\u00e9, dans les pays
\nmembres de l\u2019Union europ\u00e9enne, 256 violations graves de la libert\u00e9 de la presse, dont 60 cas
\nd\u2019atteinte \u00e0 l\u2019int\u00e9grit\u00e9 physique des journalistes (y compris 14 assassinats de journalistes, en
\nFrance, en Pologne, au Danemark, au Royaume-Uni, en Bulgarie, en Slovaquie, \u00e0 Malte). Sur ces
\n256 violations de la libert\u00e9 de la presse au sein de l\u2019Union europ\u00e9enne, les autorit\u00e9s publiques
\n\u00e9taient la source directe de la menace dans 57% des cas.
\nA cela s\u2019ajoutent les entorses \u00e0 l\u2019Etat de droit dans plusieurs pays membres de l\u2019Union
\neurop\u00e9enne et du Conseil de l\u2019Europe. Celles-ci affaiblissent le cadre d\u00e9mocratique
\nindispensable pour l\u2019existence d\u2019une presse libre et ind\u00e9pendante, et, en s\u2019attaquant \u00e9galement
\n\u00e0 l\u2019audiovisuel public, l\u2019emp\u00eachent de jouer pleinement son r\u00f4le essentiel notamment en
\np\u00e9riode \u00e9lectorale. Si l\u2019Etat de droit n\u2019est pas respect\u00e9, la presse et la justice sont \u00e0 la merci des
\npolitiques.
\nEnfin, nous souhaitons souligner la d\u00e9fiance croissante vis-\u00e0-vis des \u00e9lites dont les
\njournalistes font suppos\u00e9ment partie, les mesures restrictives des libert\u00e9s individuelles
\net de la libert\u00e9 de la presse adopt\u00e9es par les gouvernements sous couvert de lutte
\ncontre le terrorisme, et les difficult\u00e9s \u00e9conomiques li\u00e9es \u00e0 la crise du secteur de la
\npresse.
\nDans ce contexte, et alors que la presse est prise \u00e0 partie, la cr\u00e9dibilit\u00e9 des journalistes
\nest mise \u00e0 mal, le soutien de l\u2019opinion publique vacille, et un sentiment d\u2019impunit\u00e9
\ns\u2019installe chez ceux qui font l\u2019objet d\u2019enqu\u00eates journalistiques.
\nAux menaces et aux insultes des dirigeants politiques s\u2019ajoutent l\u2019ing\u00e9rence du pouvoir
\nen place et les agressions des organisations criminelles qui op\u00e8rent en Europe et qui
\nvisent en particulier les journalistes d\u2019investigation. Outre les cas retentissants de
\nDaphne Caruana Galizia et de J\u00e1n Kuciak, les attaques physiques et les menaces de
\nmort des groupes mafieux et autres organisations criminelles contre des journalistes
\nsont fr\u00e9quentes dans plusieurs pays.
\nSi nous saluons les efforts men\u00e9s jusqu\u2019\u00e0 pr\u00e9sent par l\u2019Union europ\u00e9enne et le Conseil
\nde l\u2019Europe en mati\u00e8re de respect de l\u2019Etat de droit et de libert\u00e9 de la presse, nous
\nestimons que cela ne suffit pas \u00e0 garantir un environnement sain et s\u00fbr pour que cette
\nlibert\u00e9 puisse pleinement s\u2019exercer. Pour cela, nous demandons aux responsables
\npolitiques des pays europ\u00e9ens, et aux institutions de l\u2019Union europ\u00e9enne :
\n\u25cf De s\u2019attaquer au harc\u00e8lement judiciaire et aux \u201cproc\u00e9dures b\u00e2illon\u201d (\u2018SLAPP,
\nstrategic lawsuit against public participation) en adoptant des mesures
\nl\u00e9gislatives qui prot\u00e8gent effectivement les journalistes contre ces proc\u00e9dures,
\nqui n’ont pour seul but que de limiter leur libert\u00e9 d’expression, et en assurant un
\nenvironnement favorable et s\u00fbr dans lequel les journalistes puissent travailler ;<\/p>\n
\u25cf De mettre fin \u00e0 l\u2019application de sanctions p\u00e9nales exorbitantes, notamment des
\npeines de prison, dans les proc\u00e8s en diffamation dans tous les Etats europ\u00e9ens ;
\n\u25cf De veiller \u00e0 ce que les mesures de protection de la libert\u00e9 et du pluralisme de la
\npresse soient effectivement appliqu\u00e9es par l\u2019Union europ\u00e9enne, \u00e9galement
\nvis-\u00e0-vis des pays candidats \u00e0 l\u2019adh\u00e9sion, en attribuant express\u00e9ment ces
\ncomp\u00e9tences \u00e0 un membre de la Commission europ\u00e9enne ;
\n\u25cf De veiller au pluralisme et \u00e0 l\u2019ind\u00e9pendance de l\u2019audiovisuel public afin qu\u2019il
\npuisse jouer pleinement son r\u00f4le d\u2019information au service des citoyens de
\nmani\u00e8re inclusive et pluraliste, en mettant en place des garde-fous efficaces
\ncontre les interf\u00e9rences politiques, notamment en ce qui concerne les
\nnominations \u00e0 des postes \u00e9ditoriaux ;
\n\u25cf De cr\u00e9er un m\u00e9canisme efficace d\u2019alerte rapide contre toute violation de la
\nlibert\u00e9 de la presse sur le mod\u00e8le de la \u201cPlateforme pour renforcer la protection
\ndu journalisme et la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 des journalistes\u201d du Conseil de l\u2019Europe ;
\n\u25cf De garantir l\u2019int\u00e9grit\u00e9 de l\u2019espace public face \u00e0 la diffusion des fausses informations,
\ntout en pr\u00e9servant pleinement la libert\u00e9 d’informer et la libert\u00e9 d’expression
\n\u25cf D’imposer des garanties d\u00e9mocratiques dans l’espace num\u00e9rique de la communication
\net de l’information, pour assurer que la libert\u00e9 d’opinion et d’expression soit effective,
\nainsi que le promeut l\u2019initiative \u201cInformation & D\u00e9mocratie\u201d lanc\u00e9e par Reporters sans
\nfronti\u00e8res.
\n\u25cf De soutenir la \u201cJournalism Trust Initiative\u201d, \u00e9galement lanc\u00e9e par RSF, qui vise \u00e0
\nfavoriser la libert\u00e9, l’ind\u00e9pendance, le pluralisme et la fiabilit\u00e9 de l’information, ainsi
\nque les autres initiatives et projets semblables \u00e9manant des autres organisations
\nreconnues par la communaut\u00e9 journalistique
\n\u25cf De mettre en place d\u00e8s la fin de l\u2019enseignement primaire et dans le cycle
\nsecondaire des programmes d\u2019\u00e9ducation aux m\u00e9dias et \u00e0 l\u2019information ;
\n\u25cf Que le Parlement europ\u00e9en examine p\u00e9riodiquement le respect de la libert\u00e9 de
\nla presse dans tous les Etats-membres de l\u2019UE, ainsi que dans les Etats candidats
\n\u00e0 l\u2019adh\u00e9sion, en particulier pendant les campagnes \u00e9lectorales ;
\n\u25cf D\u2019\u00e9largir les pouvoirs du m\u00e9diateur europ\u00e9en pour qu\u2019il puisse v\u00e9rifier le
\nrespect de la Charte europ\u00e9enne des droits fondamentaux non-seulement par
\nles institutions europ\u00e9ennes mais aussi par tous ses Etats-membres ;
\n\u25cf Que les pays membres de l\u2019Union europ\u00e9enne et du Conseil de l\u2019Europe mettent en
\n\u0153uvre sans tarder la Recommandation 2016\/4 du Comit\u00e9 des Ministres des Etats
\nmembres du Conseil de l\u2019Europe \u00ab sur la protection du journalisme et la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 des
\njournalistes et autres acteurs des m\u00e9dias ;
\n\u25cf Que les pays membres de l\u2019Union europ\u00e9enne et du Conseil de l\u2019Europe fassent
\nen sorte que les Nations Unies : 1. adoptent la \u201cConvention internationale pour
\nla s\u00e9curit\u00e9 et l\u2019ind\u00e9pendance des journalistes et des autres professionnels des
\nm\u00e9dias\u201d propos\u00e9e par la F\u00e9d\u00e9ration Internationale des Journalistes, afin que les
\ncrimes et les agressions contre les journalistes dans le monde entier ne restent
\nplus impunis, et 2. cr\u00e9ent le mandat de repr\u00e9sentant sp\u00e9cial du Secr\u00e9taire G\u00e9n\u00e9ral des<\/p>\n
nations unies pour la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 des journalistes r\u00e9clam\u00e9 par une coalition de plus de 100
\norganisations et m\u00e9dias\u200b.<\/p>\n
Une presse libre et ind\u00e9pendante est la meilleure garante du bon fonctionnement des
\ninstitutions d\u00e9mocratiques, et un rempart contre les d\u00e9rives autoritaires et les
\nmanipulations de l\u2019opinion publique. Il est de l\u2019int\u00e9r\u00eat de tous qu\u2019elle le demeure et du
\ndevoir des autorit\u00e9s de faire en sorte que ce soit le cas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Paris, 6 December 2019 Association of European Journalists Reporters Without Borders European Federation of Journalists European Centre for Press and Media Freedom South East Europe Media Organisation Meeting in Paris, this 6 December, We note that, while European journalists enjoy a generally privileged situation compared to many other regions of the world, Europe is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17873,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[962,972],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17856","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-from-aej-bulgaria","category-latest-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17856"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17856\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17856"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aej-bulgaria.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}