1510th Meeting of the Committee of Ministers (23 October 2024) EU statement on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

I.We observe the 10^th commemoration of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists in an increasingly troubling context:

- several instances of harassment, intimidation and violations against journalists and media workers in Member States of the Council of Europe have raised alarms over infringements on the right to freedom of expression, as protected by Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

- journalists in Ukraine, the Middle East, Sudan and beyond, continue to be killed or face deadly threats while carrying out their vital work of informing the public about the realities and impact of war.

- online threats against journalists remain a major concern, with digital harassment increasingly used to intimidate, discredit and silence reporting on public interest issues, including human rights violations and abuses, organized crime and corruption. Women journalists and those belonging to vulnerable groups are particularly targeted often facing gender-based hate speech and coordinated harassment campaigns.

The rise of deepfake technology has added another dimension to online threats against journalists, which marks a troubling new frontier in the spread of online disinformation and undermining of public trust in media professionals.

II.Today, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to defending media freedom and holding accountable all perpetrators of violence, intimidation, and threats against journalists. When impunity prevails, it not only stifles freedom of expression, but also undermines the very foundations of democracy and the rule of law. We emphasize the need for accountability, urging governments to strengthen legal frameworks, conduct thorough investigations and prosecute those responsible for any form of attacks on journalists. Ending impunity is crucial to ensuring an independent press.

III. In 2024, the European Union made significant steps to uphold press freedom and ensure the safety of media professionals:

New rules against  Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation (SLAPPs) will provide journalists and human rights defenders with safeguards against manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings.

The European Media Freedom Act will help ensure that the independence of journalists and media outlets is protected and that they can operate free from political interference and across borders in the EU. 

Moreover, the EU has continued to provide emergency assistance to journalists at risk of prosecution as human rights defenders.

IV.The EU commends the adoption by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 2024 of the Recommendation on countering the use of SLAPPs and welcomes the organisation of the European-wide anti-SLAPP conference on 14 November 2024.

Moreover, we express our support for the Council of Europe "Journalists Matter" Campaign for the Safety of Journalists, especially the launching of the national chapter by Ukraine in April.

We continue to support the functioning of the Council of Europe Platform to Promote the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists and we call on all Member States of our organisation to engage and respond to the alerts submitted.

The following countries align with this statement: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

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