Arlem Dezir proposes to create a special committee to protect journalists

Vienna / 04/12/19 / Turan: The conference "Attack on journalists: a threat to media freedom" opened in Vienna today. The focus of an international conference organized by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media is violence or the threat of violence against journalists.

Opening the conference, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Arlem Desir, called on OSCE participating States to take real action within the framework of their commitments to protect journalists and end violence against them.

Over the past 20 years, 400 journalists have been killed in the world, and in more than 80% of cases the perpetrators have not been brought to justice.

Desir put forward the initiative to create a special Committee under the auspices of the OSCE to prevent violence against journalists. The committee, which will include representatives of government agencies and journalists from OSCE member countries, will have to monitor the situation and prevent threats of violence, as well as the protection of journalists.

The main goal is to create conditions for the free activity of journalists without control by the authorities, said Arlem Dezir.

The event involves journalists who have been abused and their relatives.

The adoption of a special final conference document on the results of speeches and discussions is expected. -0-