Press freedom is essential in times of crisis

In a joint statement on the case of World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd, they recalled that the right to freedom of expression is envisioned in Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which all 47 Council of Europe member states have committed themselves, including the 27 member states.

“in a democracy, journalists play a vital role in uncovering the truth and holding authorities accountable. Their task is to ensure that citizens receive accurate and reliable information at the right time, which is even more important in the context of COVID-19”, the statement said.

It was estimated that the media should be free to study in detail and criticise the government's response to the crisis, however, as confirmed by the recent report by civil society organisations co-operating with the Council of Europe, many journalists actually face increasing obstacles to fulfilling this important role during the pandemic.

Unfortunately, we are also witnessing a growing number of attacks and threats against journalists reporting from protests, which is unacceptable. Now it is more important than ever that journalists can do their work freely and safely,” is further said in the statement.

Promoting freedom of expression across Europe is a key goal of the Council of Europe, added in the declaration, stressing that along with gradual exits from the pandemic, all governments must work together to strengthen freedom of expression.

Otherwise, tomorrow marks May 3rd World Press Freedom Day, which serves to remind governments of the need to respect their commitment to freedom of the press and is also a day of reflection among media professionals on press freedom and professional ethics.

According to the organisation “Reporters Without Borders” on the state of media freedom for 2020, Kosovo ranks 70th in the world and stands best compared to some countries in the region.

On the occasion of marking this day, the Association of Kosovo Journalists (AGK) will hold a press conference and a discussion table.

The World Press Freedom Day theme this year is “Blaced May”, which serves as a reminder of what a day without the media would look like.

May 3rd is also the day of commemoration of those journalists who have lost their lives in pursuit of truth and professional reporting.