PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS FROM VIOLENCE CommDH/IssuePaper(2011)3

Issue Papers are commissioned and published by the Commissioner for Human Rights, to contribute to debate and reflection on important current human rights issues. Many of them also include Recommendations by the Commissioner for addressing the concerns identified. At the same time, all opinions in these expert papers do not necessarily reflect the Commissioner’s position. Issue Papers are available on the Commissioner’s website: www.commissioner.coe.int Acknowledgements This Issue Paper was prepared by Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media. Table of contents FOREWORD SUMMARY Introduction I. Violence against journalists and journalism 1.1 An extreme form of censorship 1.2 Large number of journalists murdered 1.3 Journalists are regularly attacked and beaten 1.4 Impunity – a blatant neglect of human rights II. The importance of human rights law – legal standards relating to the protection of journalism 2.1 Defamation – a way to silence media III. Protection of journalists against violence 3.1 Responses from journalists’ organisations, the media industry, and NGOs 3.2 How to counterbalance state interference 3.3 Responses from international organisations 3.4 Responses from governments Conclusions

Download the report: https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1842537

Author Organisation: Council of Europe, Commissioner for Human Rights