Delegation of the European Union to Georgia

06/27/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/27/2024 02:34

HRC56 Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression EU Statement

United Nations Human Rights Council

56th session

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression

26 June 2024

EU Intervention

Mr. President,

The European Union is a staunch supporter of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression and welcomes her report on journalists in exile.

New information and communication technologies have shrunk our world, making it easier for journalists and other media workers to continue their vital work of speaking truth to power, including by providing quality and independent informationand enhancing transparency and accountability, even when they are prevented to do so in their home country. However, they have also made it easier to target journalists across borders, and increasingly so by governments,a trend posing significant threat not only to journalists, media workers and their families, but also to the fundamental principles of democracy, good governance and human rights. Your report shows that online violence against journalists, and women journalists in particular, has increased dramatically in the past decade.

To counter this trend, the EU has taken in recent years a number of initiatives to protect journalists and foster a free and independent media environment online and offline. The Digital Services Act aims to safeguard users' fundamental rights online, with specific obligations for very large online platforms and search engines. Moreover, the EU adopted a Directive on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings, in order, notably, to prevent journalists from being exposed to strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP). Finally, since May 2024, the European Media Freedom Act has put in place a new set of rules to protect journalists and media outlets from political interference, while also making it easier for them to operate across the EU in order to strengthen and protect media pluralism. We have also reinforced our support for media outlets forced into exile.

Madame Special Rapporteur, how can states, social platforms and other stakeholders work together to facilitate the reporting of online violence against journalists?

Thank you.