|
UK SECTION |
The AEJ is active across the continent
of Europe. Please visit its website, www.aej.org,
and check AEJ Newsletters
for information about what it is doing for its members |
|||
|
|
||||
|
“Goodbye to
Freedom?” – European journalists’ report says media freedom
under threat in Europe |
||||
|
7 November 2007 EMBARGOED UNTIL MIDNIGHT, FRIDAY
9 NOVEMBER 2007 The Association of European Journalists publishes
Media Freedom Survey exposing serious barriers in 20 countries Media freedom is
weak and under threat from growing political and economic pressures in many
parts of Europe. That is the conclusion of a new Survey of Media Freedom in
20 European countries by the Association of European Journalists, a network
of media professionals across the continent. The Survey,
entitled Goodbye to
Freedom? says that restrictive laws, unjustified
political interventions, jail, death threats and in some cases even
murder have been used to limit or suppress media
freedom within Europe. It is written by
journalists in 20 countries of the Council of Europe, the democracy
and human rights organisation which requires its members to uphold media
freedom and freedom of expression. The AEJ
Survey covers challenges and setbacks for media freedom in the past
year across Europe from Russia to Spain. It includes ten long-standing member
states of the European Union, six states which joined the EU in the past
three years, two aspiring members – Croatia and Turkey – and two
states of the former Soviet Union, Russia and Armenia. The countries
included are Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech
Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands,
Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and the UK. Miklos Hararszti, the Representative
on Freedom of the Media for the OSCE (Organisation for Security
and Cooperation in Europe) said: I warmly welcome the publication of
the AEJ Media Freedom Survey, which will help draw the public's
attention to the dangers that the media faces today. To mention only a few of
these threats, violence and intimidation against media workers, the criminal
prosecution of journalists for publishing sensitive information, and public
broadcasters' lack of independence are all obstacles to legitimate media
freedom in old and new democracies alike. My Office is glad to cooperate
with the AEJ for the benefit of media democratisation in East and West Europe
and in all 56 member countries of the OSCE. Goodbye to Freedom?
A Survey of Media Freedom across Europe is edited by William
Horsley and published by the Association of European Journalists. William Horsley
is the AEJ Media Freedom Representative and a former BBC news correspondent.
He is also Chairman of the AEJ's UK Section. For further
information, see Survey
page and the news item, AEJ Media Freedom Workshop |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
