Ombudsman: Attacks on journalists to be solved effectively

World Press Freedom Day again finds the country trying to overcome the current challenges to guaranteeing freedom of the press as a fundamental right, and indicators of democracy development and respect of international standards for human rights in general.

So said the ombudsman's media statement on the World Press Freedom Day, which is symbolic of focusing attention on the importance of press freedom, reflecting on the right to information and freedom of expression.

The ombudsman commemorates that on November 2nd 2017, he has published the report with recommendations aimed at addressing freedom of expression and media freedom, whose focus are cases of physical attacks and threats to journalists.

The report warns of the need to advance the legislative framework, which would ensure sufficient protection for media freedom and journalists' security, co-ordination between police and state prosecutor, and prioritisation by the prosecutorial and judicial system for actions committed against journalists.

The ombudsman invites the country's institutions to empower activities to ensure transparency in the function of public accountability and cases of threats and attacks on journalists to be addressed with priorities and to be effectively resolved.

In contrast, in 1993 the United Nations General Assembly, with the aim of awareness of the importance of press freedom, and to bring to the attention of governments their duty to respect and uphold freedom of expression, the right guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, made a decision on this date as World Freedom of Press.