2023-09-28 14:27:25
Strasbourg. At the Riga Conference on Media Freedom, the Council of Europe is launching a comprehensive campaign for the safety of journalists throughout Europe, with the theme “Journalists Matter”, which will last until 2027. The Council launched the campaign in Riga on 5-6 October, titled “Is the pen mightier than the sword?” will be introduced at the conference with the theme: The Council of Europe’s campaign will be organized across the continent. The campaign, in which all 46 countries, including Turkey, will be involved, will be carried out with the theme “Journalists Matter” and will last until 2027.
The campaign is based on the principles of protection of journalism and the right to access information; It aims to pave the way for a safer, independent and pluralistic media environment and therefore ensure the safety of journalists by encouraging states to create plans and national mechanisms to ensure the safety of journalists. “Is the pen mightier than the sword?” The themed Riga Conference is organized by the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and the Ombudsman Office in cooperation with the Council of Europe.
To address the current challenges to freedom of expression and the safety of journalists, the conference will invite government representatives, mediators, international organizations involved in protecting media freedom, NGOs defending media freedom belonging to the Platform to Protect Journalists, to strengthen the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists. It will bring together professional associations.
What does the project cover?
According to the information obtained by VOA Turkish from Council of Europe sources, the main purpose of the Campaign is; effectively enhance the security of journalists and other media actors and ensure an enabling environment for safe, free, pluralistic and responsible journalism in the member states of the Council of Europe and in Europe.
By 2027, the European Council will actively mobilize to encourage member states to transfer the campaign to the national context, and a separate ‘national section’ report will be prepared for 46 member countries to enhance the “determined and effective” effort of each member at the national level.
In order to identify needs and design comprehensive strategies and measures, National Committees (NC) will be established to protect the safety of journalists, as a prerequisite for the development and implementation of the National Action Plan.
With these committees, which will consist of the Council of Europe, member states, relevant institutions and organizations, coordination will be ensured between both the Council of Europe and the member countries in order to maximize the impact of the campaign.
Information will be shared between national committees about concrete initiatives taken at national level to achieve the objectives of the campaign, and at the same time the relevant national committees will be informed about the results of the changes taking place at European level. National committees will be in constant dialogue with campaign management structures.
The individuals to be determined by the National Committee will act in accordance with their national legislation and relevant international obligations while assuming this role. It will coordinate with national institutions and organizations responsible for protecting the safety of journalists, as well as journalist unions and other media bodies.
The European Council will be responsible for launching and coordinating the campaign, organizing the annual meetings of the national committees, and facilitating the exchange of information and dialogue between the committees, if any, and all relevant stakeholders.
Riga Media Freedom Conference
Following the campaign presentation in Riga on 5 October, the play “They Blow Up”, about the assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on 16 October 2017 (a few days before the sixth anniversary of her death), will be staged. The journalist’s son, Matthew Caruana Galizia, will also give a speech.
The Riga Conference will focus on issues such as the backdrop of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, current threats to freedom of expression and the safety of journalists, and the challenges facing journalism in times of war and crisis.
At the Conference, where Martins Mits, the Latvian judge of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), will make the opening speech, the legal limits of freedom of expression in times of conflict and war will also be examined. Participants will also question what independent media can do to combat disinformation.
Speakers will include Latvian Minister of Culture Agnese Logina, representative of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic and Council of Europe Director of Information Society and Crime Fighting Hanne Juncher.
The conference will be closed by Bjorn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Zanda Kalniņa-Lukashevica, Deputy President of the Latvian Parliament and head of the Latvian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Immediately after the conference, the first meeting will take place with representatives of the member states, where they will discuss how to implement the national committees of the campaign.
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