WIREDGOV

Press Freedom has declined to its lowest point in 12 years. Only 13 percent of the world’s population enjoys a free press. Those are two of the conclusions of the Freedom of the Press Report 2016, recently published by Freedom House. Press freedom, a fundamental human right, has been a much discussed topic in Europe. The European Commission co-funds the Mapping Media Freedom Platform, an initiative of Index on Censorship, which has drawn the same conclusions about the decline of press freedom. EU2016.nl asked Index on Censorship Advocacy Officer Melody Patry about press freedom in Europe.

How did the Mapping Media Freedom Platform start?

‘Two years ago, the EU adopted new guidelines on freedom of expression online and offline, and allocated funding to projects that work on media freedom. My organisation, Index on Censorship, has been advocating for freedom of expression for over 40 years and we had noticed a decline in media freedom in recent years, including in established democracies. In 2014, we were pleased to be selected to receive funding from the European Commission and subsequently launched the Mapping Media Freedom Platform, dedicated to recording threats, challenges and violations to media freedom in Europe.’

Melody Patry (Index on Censorship) 

What has led to this decline in media freedom?

‘Many factors have contributed to the deterioration of media freedom in Europe. Several countries, both EU member states and candidates for entry, have adopted new legislation that threatens media freedom and media pluralism. In some cases, this has to do with the mass and indiscriminate collection of data and the implications for the protection of journalists’ sources. In other cases, press freedom is endangered by the misuse and abuse of laws originally aimed at countering terrorism and extremism.’

Other violations include blocking access to news websites by authorities, intimidation and even physical assault of journalists. According to Ms Patry, this mostly happens to journalists reporting from protests, political gatherings or conflict zones.

Offering solutions

The platform does not just aim to raise awareness, it also gathers data and evidence of incidents that often go unnoticed. The goal is to identify patterns and trends and to provide the EU or individual countries with recommendations and solutions. The most serious cases are also flagged up with the Council of Europe and other European and international institutions.

Ms Patry explains that it’s not always just the law, it’s also the interpretation of the law and its implementation by the judiciary and the police that are the problematic. ‘We also encourage training and reviews of the legislative framework, in order to stop the prosecution of journalists and citizens critical of their governments.’

What is your ultimate goal?

‘This is about everything that relates to media freedom and the change that we want to see in Europe. We especially want to highlight the fact that human rights obligations are part and parcel of aspiring member states’ current partnerships with the EU and their membership applications. And freedom of expression, including respecting and protecting media freedom, is part of these obligations.’

All member states and candidate countries have to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights and  EU standards on media freedom.  

‘The ultimate goal is a democratic, tolerant society where you are not persecuted for your views and opinions, where governments and private bodies do not crack down on freedom of expression and where the media can operate freely and without fear.’