[FoME] World Press Freedom Day: Online journalist comments on crisis reporting

[Christoph Dietz]

Dear colleagues,

The Council of Europe will mark World Press Freedom Day on 3 May by taking online questions and comments on the subject: "Media professionals in times of crisis." 
Media professionals are invited to e-mail questions and comments on all obstacles they encounter in crisis reporting - from information manipulation to censorship - to the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, by 1 May at mediafreedom at coe.int. Questions and comments, sent in English or in French, including Mr Hammarberg's responses, will be published on 3 May on the Council's website (www.coe.int <http://www.coe.int/> ).
"The Council of Europe looks forward to forging closer ties with media professionals as it continues to develop standards for the protection of freedom of expression and information during times of crisis, including journalist safety," said Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg. 
Over the past 12 years, over 1,100 journalists and media staff have been killed in the line of duty, according to the International Federation of Journalists. They died because someone did not like what they wrote or said, or because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The Council of Europe is carrying out co-operation activities to help countries draft legislation and policy in the line with European standards. It also recently created an intergovernmental group of specialists to address issues on freedom of expression and information in times of crisis. 
Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights guarantees freedom of expression and information for everyone within the jurisdiction of the 46 Council of Europe member states.

Thank you very much for your co-operation in advance.

Rüdiger Dossow
Secretary, Sub-Committee on the Media
Parliamentary Assembly
Council of Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg
http://assembly.coe.int
http://www.coe.int
http://www.coe.int/media


PS: The Parliamentary Assembly adopted the following Resolutions related to this subject:

 Resolution 1372 <http://assembly.coe.int//main.asp?link=http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/Doc/RefRedirectEN.asp?Doc= Resolution 1372>   and Recommendation 1658 <http://assembly.coe.int//main.asp?link=http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/Doc/RefRedirectEN.asp?Doc= Recommendation 1658>  (2004) on the persecution of the press in the Republic of Belarus, 
 Resolution 1438 <http://assembly.coe.int//main.asp?link=http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/Doc/RefRedirectEN.asp?Doc= Resolution 1438>  and Recommendation 1702 <http://assembly.coe.int//main.asp?link=http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/Doc/RefRedirectEN.asp?Doc= Recommendation 1702>  (2005) on freedom of the press and the working conditions of journalists in conflict zones, 
 Recommendation 1706 <http://assembly.coe.int//main.asp?link=http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/Doc/RefRedirectEN.asp?Doc= Recommendation 1706>  (2005) on media and terrorism, 
 Resolution 1510 <http://assembly.coe.int//main.asp?link=http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/Doc/RefRedirectEN.asp?Doc= Resolution 1510>  (2006) on freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs, 
Resolution 1535 and Recommendation 1783 (2007) on threats to the lives and freedom of expression of journalists 
( http://assembly.coe.int/main.asp?Link=/documents/adoptedtext/ta07/eres1535.htm  
and  http://assembly.coe.int/main.asp?Link=/documents/adoptedtext/ta07/erec1783.htm  )

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World Press Freedom Day: Council of Europe to publish online journalist comments on crisis reporting 

Links to document: http://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=PR259(2007)&Sector=secDC&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&BackColorInternet=F5CA75&BackColorIntranet=F5CA75&BackColorLogged=A9BACE