Thousands of newspapers world-wide will commemorate World Press Freedom Day today, by publishing editorial and advertising material on press freedom themes from the World Association of Newspapers.
World Press Freedom Day marks the anniversary of the 1991 Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of principles calling for a free, independent and pluralistic media throughout the world.
The Declaration affirms that a free press is essential to the existence of democracy and a fundamental human goal. It has become a day to raise awareness of press freedom problems worldwide, and to recognise the sacrifices that independent media and journalists make to keep their societies informed.
The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom world-wide.
It represents 18,000 newspapers; its membership includes 76 national newspaper associations, newspaper companies and individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, 12 news agencies and 10 regional and world-wide press groups.
The World Association of Newspapers is calling on governments and their agencies:
To guarantee public availability of officially held data, information and archives accessible under Freedom of Information laws or related legal provisions. Stricter security classifications may be called for when it comes to sensitive military and intelligence issues, but there must also be strict reviews to guard against unjustified attempts to limit public scrutiny, particularly that of political decisions.
To guarantee the right of journalists to protect their confidential sources of information, as a necessary requirement for a free press. The existing legal protections available in both national and international laws must be upheld.
To make electronic surveillance of communications dependent on judicial authorisation, control or review, to protect the imperative independence and confidentiality of newsgathering. Governments must ensure that technological advances do not undermine the legal protections of journalists and hinder the ability of the press to play its “watchdog” role.
To ensure that searches of journalists offices or homes are conducted uniquely by warrant issued only when there is proven ground for suspicion of lawbreaking, so as to uphold the right to protect confidential journalistic sources and thus press freedom. The power to seize documents must also be based on a lawful warrant and on firmly grounded suspicions.
To guarantee journalists the right to cover all sides of a story, including that of alleged terrorists, and to restrain from any hasty and unjustified criminalisation of speech. Broad and vague definitions of speech offences can evidently be used to restrict free speech, including the analysis of extreme discourse, stands or actions, and governments should not use criminal law to stifle critical reporting and opinion.
To abstain from prosecuting journalists who published classified information. In free societies, courts have held that it is the job of governments, not journalists, to protect official secrets, subject to the common sense decisions that editors normally make against, for instance, endangering lives.
To abstain from resorting to “black” propaganda – in other words, peacetime use of government services to plant false or misleading articles masquerading as normal journalism as well as the false use of journalistic identities by intelligence agents. Not only do such disinformation practices misinform the public, they also undermine the credibility of real journalism.
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