Joseph Borrell: A huge number of journalists lost their lives while reporting news from Gaza
The High Representative of the European Union, Joseph Borrell, on behalf of the European Union, expressed in a statement On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day.
He said, “Journalists and media professionals exercise their right to freedom of expression courageously on a daily basis. And often at great personal risk. Independent, fact-based journalism helps us protect our democracies He added that it exposes injustices, holds leaders accountable, and gives citizens the opportunity to make informed decisions.
In 2024, the work of journalists has become more important than ever, as the world is witnessing elections being held in more than 60 countries around the world. That’s why we honor journalists for their work and courage on this year’s World Press Freedom Day.
He revealed, saying, journalists must be protected at all times and in every place, as they are our eyes and ears on the ground. The European Union strongly condemns all acts of violence against journalists, including the threats they receive because of practicing their profession, whether the perpetrators of this violence are states, organized groups, or individuals. We must not let anyone escape punishment for committing these crimes, wherever they are committed.
Journalists and media professionals who report news from hotbeds of armed conflict must be protected, based on international humanitarian law. Therefore, the European Union condemns the huge increase in the number of journalists killed or injured while covering the consequences of serious wars. A huge number of journalists have lost their lives in recent months while reporting news from Gaza, and journalists continue to put their lives on the line daily while covering the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, in addition to reporting the events of the conflicts in Myanmar, Sudan, and other places around the world.   ;
Therefore, the European Union expresses its great concerns about the practices that prevent independent media from entering conflict areas and takes this as an approach to control the media space and limit the public’s access to fact-based and impartial news reports.
It is no secret to us that the independent media faces existential threats around the world. Therefore, now, more than ever, we must take decisive action to ensure the media’s ability to operate in favorable political, economic, and legal conditions. At the internal level, the European Union has taken an important step to achieve this goal. This was achieved by approving the European Media Freedom Law. This historic legislation seeks to enhance editorial freedom, protect journalistic sources, and improve the transparency of media ownership in the European Union.
The European Union remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting media freedom and pluralism throughout the world. By protecting media freedom, we not only protect our right to knowledge, but we also protect all our abilities to shape a future guided by truth and accountability.
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