According to the Council of Europe’s 2023 report on press freedom, two journalists died while covering the war in Ukraine, a figure significantly lower than the thirteen deaths in 2022. 120 journalists remain in custody, including Pablo González.
The physical and psychological attacksincluding murders, journalists in Europe According to the latest report from the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Promotion of the Protection of Journalism, these will have decreased in 2023. On the other hand, arrests and detentions increased. Last year 120 journalists they stayed locked up, the majority in Belarus (38) and Russia (27). To them we must add the only journalist imprisoned in an EU country, the Basque Pablo Gonzálezalready Julian Assangewho is still imprisoned in Britain.
The platform, made up of 15 NGOs that defend information professionals, has noted a decline in deaths among journalists and violence against the press, although it has warned of “a growing diversity of threats, pressures and restrictions under which journalists must express themselves.” their mission.
According to the platform’s count last year two journalists were killed while reporting on the war in Ukraine, both as a result of Russian bombing, several people were injured, a significantly lower number than the thirteen deaths the previous year. The death of another media worker in Europe was also recorded, most notably a security guard from Top Channel TV Albaniawhen this television was attacked.
Attacks on the physical and mental integrity of journalists constitute just over a quarter of actions against press freedom, and despite the increase in 2013, the number of arrests and imprisonments is less than 17%. A total of 285 warnings were published in 2023 due to serious threats or attacks on freedom of information, a figure comparable to 289 in the previous year.
On the other hand, the authors of the report, entitled “It is time to reverse the trend”, recall that they used spy software (specifically quoted Pegasus) against journalists in the Spanish and French states, in the United Kingdom, in Turkey, in Hungary, in Greece and in Azerbaijan. In this sense, the platform has asked Member States to stop using these types of devices.
According to him, the states of the Council of Europe must “refrain from the illegal use of espionage programs against journalists” and adhere to the European Convention on Human Rights, which requires them that if they resort to these systems, this must be done legally out of necessity. and proportionality.
Source: EITB
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