Executive Group Statement – Media Freedom Coalition

Media Freedom Coalition Executive Group Statement on journalists in conflict situations, delivered at the United Nations Human Rights Council

Maj Ruess — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:37:28 +0000

The following statement was delivered at the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on 10 September, as part of Item 2: Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General, September 2024

Mr. President,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition.

We thank the High Commissioner for his oral update.

Media freedom plays a critical role in promoting and protecting human rights. This is especially true in conflict situations, when people’s lives, health and safety depend on objective, accurate and timely information. Journalists and media workers play an indispensable role in informing the world about events occurring in areas of conflict.

Yet, it is during conflict situations that journalists and media workers, on whom people rely for essential and lifesaving information, are under attack the most.

In Sudan, journalists and media workers have been the victims of violence and unjust detentions, and an information blackout is occurring, causing the crisis which has been marked by gross human-rights violations and atrocity crimes to go gravely underreported. The junta in Myanmar continues to crack down violently on journalists, subjecting independent voices to imprisonment and torture. Journalists risk their lives covering the war in Ukraine; most recently, a safety adviser for Reuters was killed and two journalists injured while reporting from Kramatorsk. The conflict in Gaza is the deadliest for journalists on record. Combined with the restricted access for journalists and media workers to Gaza, it is increasingly difficult to verify information on the ground.

We call upon all states to ensure the protection of journalists and media workers covering conflict in accordance with applicable international law. We call for safe access for journalists to conflict situations in order to independently cover events. Finally, we call for all attacks directed against journalists and media workers to be investigated and, as applicable, prosecuted in compliance with national and international law. Impunity must end.

Thank you.

Signed by the following members of the MFC Executive Group:

Canada
Czechia
Estonia
Germany
the Netherlands
the United Kingdom
the United States

Endorsed by:

Australia
Austria
Belgium
Chile
Greece
Luxembourg
Slovenia
Spain

Media Freedom Coalition Executive Group Statement: Detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich

MFC — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 09:57:13 +0000

The Executive Group of the Media Freedom Coalition strongly condemns the Russian Federation’s detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. The detention of journalists under the guise of espionage charges is troubling and undermines the basic principles of democracy and rule of law. Mr. Gershkovich is a widely respected journalist who has spent years reporting on events in Russia with insight and integrity.

We note the widespread outcry from Russian and international journalists in response to Gershkovich’s arrest, including an open letter signed by dozens of prominent independent media figures from Russia that calls the case against him “preposterous and unjust.”

Freedom of expression is a universal human right that is protected by international law; it includes the right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds, irrespective of borders. Journalists play a crucial role in holding governments and powerful people and institutions to account, while informing the public about matters of public interest. It is imperative that journalists are able to work independently and without fear of spurious charges being brought against them.

The Kremlin’s sweeping censorship and suppression of media freedom at home enables relentless state-sponsored disinformation about its war in Ukraine to spread virtually unchallenged to the public in Russia. We condemn the Russian Federation’s moves to silence journalists and use its authority to intimidate or harass them. The Russian Government must comply with its international human rights obligations and not abuse its power to punish members of the media for their critical reporting.

We call on the Russian Federation to drop the charges against Evan Gershkovich and release him immediately, along with all others it has similarly detained for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Signed:

Canada
Czechia
Estonia
Germany
the Netherlands
the United Kingdom
the United States

Statement on media freedom in Egypt

MFC — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 13:26:12 +0000

Statement on media freedom in Egypt from the undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition’s Executive Group.

The undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition’s Executive Group express concern at the continued restrictions on media freedom in Egypt, including the recent arrest and intimidation of individuals associated with journalist Khaled el-Balshy, editor-in-chief of the news website Darb. In particular, the Coalition is concerned by the arrest of Kamal el-Balshy, brother of Khaled, on September 20, 2020.

The Coalition urges authorities to allow journalists in Egypt to practice their profession without fear of arrest or reprisal.

Signed:

Canada
Germany
Latvia
Netherlands
the United Kingdom

Media Freedom Coalition’s Executive Group statement on Miroslava Breach case in Mexico

MFC — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:26:01 +0000

Media Freedom Coalition’s Executive Group welcome the action taken by Mexican authorities in relation to the Miroslava Breach case.

The undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition’s Executive Group express their concern about continued violent attacks against journalists and freedom of expression in Mexico. We are united in the principle that a free and independent media is essential to a functioning democracy. Investigating these attacks on independent media and bringing the perpetrators to justice are of paramount importance.

In this context, we welcome the action taken by Mexican authorities in relation to the Miroslava Breach case. Ms. Breach was a journalist in Chihuahua who was assassinated in 2017. The strong sentence delivered on August 21, 2020, against one of the key perpetrators of Ms. Breach’s murder sends a clear message to those who would seek to silence the media and attack media freedom, including through mistreating, threatening or even killing journalists. The conviction also drew a direct link between her murder and her courageous work in reporting on organized crime activities and networks in the Sierra of Chihuahua.

We call on Mexican authorities to continue to take a firm stand against threats and aggression against journalists and to ensure the effective protection of media freedom in the country.

Signed:

Canada
Latvia
the United Kingdom
Germany
the Maldives
the United States of America
Ghana
the Netherlands

Belarus: Joint Statement by Media Freedom Coalition on the detention of journalists

MFC — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 13:25:54 +0000

The Media Freedom Coalition’s Executive Group have issued a statement on the Belarus elections.

The undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition’s Executive Group express their concern about continued attacks on media freedom surrounding the August 9presidential election in Belarus.

Media freedom is an important part of democratic societies and essential to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

We are alarmed by credible reports that the Belarusian authorities have harassed,
severely beaten, detained, and revoked the accreditation of journalists and other media workers covering the election campaign and ongoing protests. This crackdown is clearly intended to specifically target journalists and deny people in Belarus and abroad the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

We are also alarmed by the continued use of internet shutdowns which limit media freedom and hinder the ability of journalists and human rights defenders to report on human rights violations. Shutdowns impact all users—while disproportionately harming women, girls, and minority groups—and can violate human rights and fundamental freedoms. This includes freedoms of opinion and expression, and association, and peaceful assembly that form the basis of a democratic society. People need access to free media to provide them with accurate information and informed analysis to hold governments to account.

We call on Belarus to guarantee media freedom, refrain from internet shutdowns, and respect international human rights law. Journalists and other media workers in Belarus must be able to do their work without fear of detention, reprisals or restrictions (online and offline) inconsistent with the right to freedom of expression. Journalists and other media workers unjustly detained must be immediately released. Those responsible for attacks on journalists and media workers must be held to account.

Signed:

Canada
Latvia
the United Kingdom
Germany
the Maldives
the United States
Ghana
the Netherlands

Statement on media freedom in Yemen

MFC — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 13:24:38 +0000

Media Freedom Coalition’s Executive Group statement concerning media freedom in Yemen. The undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition’s Executive Group express their growing concern about the Houthis’ attacks on media freedom in Yemen, where their continued detention of Yemeni journalists is troubling evidence of serious abuses of the right to freedom of expression.

In particular, we condemn the Houthis’ decision to put four Yemeni journalists to death for their reporting, an alarming situation that constitutes a blatant disregard for human rights. Attacks on media freedom are attacks on human rights, and the protection of journalists and other media workers is critical to the success of any peace building efforts undertaken in Yemen.

We call on all parties to guarantee the safety of journalists and to respect human rights and international humanitarian law, so that they can carry out their work without fear of detention, reprisals or restrictions inconsistent with the right to freedom of expression.

We also call on the Houthis to:

Immediately disavow their decision to put to death the journalists Abdulkhaleq Ahmed Amran, Akram Saleh Al-Walidi, Al-Hareth Saleh Hamid and Tawfiq Mohammed Al-Mansouri and release them
Immediately release journalists Hisham Ahmed Tarmoom, Hisham Abdulmalik Al-
Yousefi, Haitham Abdulrahman Al-Shihab, Essam Amin Balgheeth, and Hassan Abdullah Annab
Immediately free all other detained Yemeni journalists and disavow any intention to punish or harm them, and account for those journalists who are missing
Refrain from undermining the exercise of the right to freedom of expression by all Yemeni journalists and media workers in the pursuit of their essential work—without being subjected to further punishment

Signed:

Canada
Germany
Latvia
the Netherlands
the United Kingdom
the United States

Media Freedom Coalition Executive Group statement on coronavirus (COVID-19)

MFC — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 13:20:29 +0000

In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition’s Executive Group are calling on all states to continue to protect access to free media and to support the free exchange of information.

We recognise that the pandemic poses a major threat to global public health. This has prompted governments to implement exceptional measures to protect the health and safety of their citizens. In this context, we reaffirm the fundamental importance of media freedom.

We commend journalists and other media workers on the front line of reporting on this health crisis. Their work serves to keep societies informed, to promote proper health measures and to counter false or misleading information. It allows people to access credible information to protect their health and that of their communities. It allows people to recognise problems that must be addressed and to hold their governments to account.

We are concerned by the efforts by some states to use the crisis to put in place undue restrictions on a free and independent media. Such actions deny societies critical information on the spread of the disease and undermine trust in responsible government.

We remain committed to supporting governments as they take steps to protect media freedom. We urge governments to continue guaranteeing the freedom and independence of media, the safety of journalists and other media professionals, and to refrain from imposing undue restrictions in the fight against proliferation of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Signed:

Canada
Germany
Latvia
the Netherlands
the United Kingdom
the United States