Press freedom is below assault in each nook of the world, the United Nations chief mentioned Tuesday, denouncing the concentrating on of journalists and the unfold of disinformation.
Talking forward of World Press Freedom day on Wednesday, Antonio Guterres issued a rallying cry for journalists and media worldwide.
“All our freedom is determined by press freedom,” he mentioned in a video message, calling it the “basis of democracy and justice” and the “lifeblood of human rights.”
“However in each nook of the world, freedom of the press is below assault,” the UN secretary-general added.
Guterres didn’t identify jailed journalists or solid blame on international locations, however different audio system highlighted particular person circumstances, resembling that of US journalist Evan Gershkovich, detained in Russia on espionage fees, which he rejects.
“I am coming from a rustic, Iran, the place being a journalist is against the law… (and) can land you in jail, can get you killed, can get you tortured,” mentioned Masih Alinejad, an Iranian-American journalist dwelling in exile.
– ‘Threatened by disinformation’ –
In accordance with Reporters With out Borders, 55 journalists and 4 media employees have been killed within the line of responsibility in 2022.
“Fact is threatened by disinformation and hate speech, looking for to blur the traces between reality and fiction, between science and conspiracy,” Guterres mentioned.
Journalists, he added, “are routinely harassed, intimidated, detained, and in prisons.”
Others voiced comparable considerations, with the top of UNESCO, which is organizing an occasion on the United Nations in New York to mark the event on Wednesday, additionally talking out.
Audrey Azoulay mentioned the digital age was altering your complete info panorama — making “skilled, free, unbiased journalism” extra crucial than ever.
She mentioned harassment and intimidation of journalists was unacceptable.
“We discover ourselves at a brand new crossroads,” she mentioned. “Our present path is main us away from knowledgeable public debates… a path in the direction of ever extra polarization.”
New York Occasions writer A.G. Sulzberger referred to as consideration to Gershkovich, a journalist for the Wall Road Journal who was detained in Russia in late March.
He “stays in Russian custody for sham fees and ought to be launched,” Sulzberger mentioned.
Sulzberger mentioned it isn’t solely direct repression that threatens journalists and freedom of data.
“The web additionally unleashed the avalanche of misinformation, propaganda, punditry and clickbait that now overwhelms our info ecosystem… accelerating the decline in societal belief,” he mentioned.
“When the free press erodes, democratic erosion virtually at all times follows.”
The secretary normal of Amnesty Worldwide, Agnes Callamard, mentioned censorship has change into extra frequent.
“Sadly, censorship has change into the default place of many governments when it comes to controlling the data of their societies,” she mentioned.
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