Media freedom in Europe:
problems persist, new violations taking place
(28/01/03)
Problems persist with media freedom across Europe and further serious
violations have taken place since 2001, the Parliamentary Assembly said
today, adopting a report by its General Rapporteur on the Media Tytti
Isohookana-Asunmaa (Finland, LDR). In a country-by-country analysis, the
parliamentarians deplored:
- violence against journalists, including murder, and imprisonment
- legal harassment, such as defamation suits and huge fines
- broadcasting laws which allow direct government interference
- violation of journalists’ right to protect their sources
- threats to media pluralism
They
pledged to continue closely monitoring the situation, and called on
European governments to investigate crimes against journalists, to enact
and enforce appropriate media legislation and to refrain from using the
fight against terrorism to restrict information.
-
Report
-
Provisional
verbatim record of the debate
-
Provisional
text adopted
Draft
Recommendation on the right of reply
(23/01/2003) The Council of Europe's Group
of Specialists on on-line services and democracy has decided to invite the
public to comment on a draft Recommendation on the right of reply in the
on-line environment (EN
/ FR).
Please send your comments (maximum two pages and preferably in the form of
drafting proposals) to the Media Division
by 5 February 2003. Any comments will be discussed at a hearing
which the Group organises on 10 February 2003.
Report on media diversity in Europe
(21/01/2003) A group of
Council of Europe experts has prepared a report on media pluralism and
diversity questions. The report suggests that European states should take
positive measures to protect plurality of voice in the media, and stresses
that competition law alone is not sufficient to reach this objective. The
full report is now available (EN
/ FR).
Council of Europe condemns killing
of leading media figure in Armenia
(08/01/2003) Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of
the Council of Europe, today strongly condemned the assassination of
Tigran Naghdalian, Chairman of the Public TV and Radio Council in Armenia,
and expressed his condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
Tigran Naghdalian was, for many years, one of the most prominent
journalists in Armenia. As Chairman of the Public TV and Radio Council, he
was overseeing the reform of public broadcasting, which has been under way
since the country joined the Council of Europe in early 2001.
"The killing of a leading media personality is not only a crime
against that person, but an attack on freedom of the media. Armenian
public TV and radio are destined to play a crucial role in the democratic
life of the country, especially in covering the forthcoming presidential
and parliamentary elections. I would like to pay particular tribute to
Tigran Naghdalian's efforts to reform public broadcasting in Armenia and
bring it into line with European standards on independent public service.
I call on everybody concerned to continue his work in the same open-minded
spirit," said the Secretary General.
"This
appalling and senseless act should not be allowed to disrupt the
democratic process in Armenia," added Walter Schwimmer. "I call
on the competent Armenian authorities to conduct a thorough and
transparent investigation in order to bring those responsible to
justice."
Outline
position paper on the media in the information society
(19/12/02)
The Council of Europe's Group of Specialists on
on-line services and democracy today published an "Outline position
paper on the role of the media in promoting democracy and participation in
the information society" (EN
/ FR).
All interested parties, in particular media professionals and research
institutions in Europe, are invited to send their comments on the paper by
31 January 2003.
Assembly report
on media freedoms
(19/12/02) Problems
persist with media freedom across Europe and further serious violations
have taken place since 2001, according to a report
by the Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Culture, Science and
Education made public this
week.
The
report by Tytti Isohookana-Asunmaa (Finland, LDR), has been provisionally
scheduled for debate by the Assembly on Tuesday 28 January 2003.
Council of
Europe contribution to the World Summit on the Information Society
(12/12/02) The
Council of Europe has sent a written contribution to the PrepCom-2 of the
World Summit on the Information Society, which presents the relevant work
of all bodies of the Organisation.
The
Council of Europe’s work in the field of new information and
communication technologies stresses the importance of adequate security in
cyberspace, as well as the human and democratic dimension of
communication. Moreover, it promotes e-inclusion and citizen empowerment
in a democratic information society in such a way as to take advantage of
opportunities and prevent risks which may result from the new information
and communication technologies. The written contribution is available at
the WSIS
web site.
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