EU condemns increasing level of attacks on journalists

By Iddi Yire
Accra, May 3, GNA - The European Union has condemned the increasing level of intimidation and violence that journalists, human rights defenders, and media actors face in many countries when exercising their right to freedom of expression.

Ms Ferderica Mogherini, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said: 'In addition to combating outright violence the EU is determined to fight against laws or practices that impose censorship, encourage self-censorship or provide legal penalties including criminal, financial and administrative sanctions as well as against the misuse of market powers and poor economic conditions.'

She said the EU reaffirmed its determination to promote and support freedoms of opinion and expression as rights to be exercised by everyone everywhere, based on the principles of equality, non-discrimination and universality through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Ms Mogherini made the remarks in a speech read for her on Tuesday by Mr William Hanna, the Head of the EU Delegation to Ghana, to mark the 2016 World Press Freedom Day in Accra.

It was on the theme: 'Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms: This Is Your Right!'

She said on the 25th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration the EU wished to recall the principle that "the establishment, maintenance and fostering of an independent, pluralistic and free press is essential to the development and maintenance of democracy in a nation, and for economic development".

Ms Mogherini said the right to freedom of opinion and expression includes freedom to seek, receive and impart information.

'It is a key component of democratic governance and development. People need to be fully informed to be able to form an opinion and participate in decision-making processes that affect their lives,' she said.

'Freedom of information also contributes to better governance as it enhances transparency in public affairs and can be used as a tool to make governments accountable for their actions, particularly when access to information results in the exposure of human rights violations or corruption practices,' she said.

Mr Mogherini said ensuring access to information could serve to promote justice and reparation, particularly after periods of grave violations of human rights.

'The EU is committed to continue promoting and protecting freedom of opinion and expression worldwide, not only offline but also in relation to the cyberspace and other information and communication technologies as highlighted by the adoption in 2014 of the EU Human Rights Guidelines on Freedom of Expression Online and Offline,' she said.

Mr Affail Monney, the President of the Ghana Journalists Association, said it was the Association's contention that a free flow of credible information was an asset to good governance.

He said mechanisms such as the Right to Information Law, therefore, needed to be implemented so that the media could carry out their monitoring role both effectively and efficiently, and at the same time be subjected to public scrutiny that would aide self-regulation and promote media accountability.

Mr Monney commended the EU for supporting the Association's activities over the years.

May 3, every year, is dedicated to celebrating the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.

Over 100 national celebrations take place to commemorate the Day.

UNESCO leads the worldwide celebration by identifying the global thematic and organising the main event in different parts of the world.

The international day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the 26th Session of UNESCO's General Conference in 1991.

This, in turn, was a response to a call by African journalists who, in 1991, produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration on media pluralism and independence.

GNA