Vienna Conference on the Safety of Journalists, Statement by Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

My warm thanks to the Government of Austria for bringing us together for this high-level conference.

Since the Plan of Action was adopted 10 years ago, we have faced a series of changes and challenges that have brought us to a tipping point.

Exponential growth in the use of the internet and social media, even as 2.9 billion people remain offline.

Widening economic and social gaps, between and within countries, only aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Growing political disenchantment, social unrest and loss of trust in institutions, especially by young people.

And we are now facing a global economic crisis with scarcity of basic commodities such as food and energy.

As a result, misinformation and disinformation are flourishing – both online and off.

They permeate every crack, every crevasse, every cavity.

People are looking for evidence, solutions, and hope, to help them navigate this murky environment.

Independent and ethical journalists infuse the world with information and facts.

And their role is more vital than ever.

To help us make up our minds, to change our minds, to debate, to participate.

Journalists uncover issues some would rather keep hidden.

They dig in the deepest, darkest holes, looking for – and untangling - information.

They are an antidote to the death of facts.

But this important work leaves them exposed.

Every day, journalists are beaten, taken to court, put behind bars or see harm come to their families – simply for doing their jobs.

The numbers are unacceptable.

Over the past 10 years: 958 journalists killed. Over 1,000 imprisoned. 64 still missing.

And history has shown us that threats to journalists are often the “canary in the coalmine”, a grim prelude of greater human rights threats to come.

On today’s anniversary, there is some progress to celebrate.

Thanks to the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, national protection systems to prevent and punish attacks on journalists were created or strengthened in nearly 50 countries.

Multiplying and strengthening such systems must be at the forefront of our efforts.

And I see three areas where more can be done, in line with the Plan of Action’s three pillars of protection, prosecution and prevention.

First, we need stronger and more comprehensive national legislation to safeguard media freedom, in line with international human rights law.

To counter strategic lawsuits against public participation and online harassment, especially against women journalists.

To rein in digital surveillance technologies which, when misused, undermine the rights of journalists and their sources.

But absent appropriate legal safeguards, I reiterate my predecessor’s call for a moratorium on the export, sale, transfer, use and servicing of digital surveillance tools.

And medical, psychological, and legal support should be made more available and accessible when harms to journalists do occur.

These are crucial steps to protect journalists.

Second, if we are serious about accountability for crimes against journalists, we need to see an uptick in effective prosecutions and in the administration of justice overall.

While there has been, on average, a decrease in the killings of journalists in recent years, impunity for crimes against journalists remains widespread.

Only 13 percent of cases of killed journalists since 2006 have been successfully prosecuted.

We must bolster national criminal justice systems, by equipping them with special investigative units or independent investigative structures.

And ensure they have the requisite expertise and resources to address these crimes – even when committed by those in power.

OHCHR, together with UNESCO in some instances, has helped governments to establish such units in several countries around the world.

We also need better data collection and analysis, which are crucial for effective prosecutions.

States’ reporting to the human rights system on the status of cases can also help track and address these crimes.

Finally, in terms of prevention, we need to be better at anticipating violations and reacting more promptly.

By seeing the warning signs:

The seemingly innocuous laws, the expansion of surveillance tools.

Which restrict the space for journalists to operate.

We will continue monitoring and reporting on these developments, mindful of the protective and preventive power of that work.

Together, we must redouble our efforts to support journalists, professional associations, civil society organizations – to bolster their knowledge of their own rights and of protection measures available to them.

And we must work together with governments, law enforcement, the military, prosecutors and the judiciary to support them to meet their obligations under international human rights law.

Excellencies,

Colleagues,

Independent and ethical journalists are critical elements of the democratic ecosystem, and to the functioning of the social contract.

Today’s anniversary is a time to make the safety of journalists worldwide a real priority.

Each and every threat to a journalist is a threat to your rights, my rights and everyone’s rights to freedom of information, opinion and expression.

Let us act in solidarity with them so that they can get on with their vital job.