World Press Freedom Day was founded by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a UNESCO General Conference recommendation. As well as a celebration of the principle of a free press, it’s also a reminder that in many countries around the globe publications are still censored and shut down while reporters are attacked, detained and even killed.
Here in the UK our
free press – so essential to our democracy – is protected by Article 10 of the
Human Rights Act, which guards free speech. Article 10 is a crucial tool for
members of the media. It is their role to hold the authorities accountable for
the power which they wield. Without Article 10 investigative newspaper
campaigns, undercover documentaries and the exposure of public interest matters
would be very vulnerable to attempts at suppression.
Such protection remains as vital as ever. After all, it was brilliant investigative journalism – along with brave litigation – that uncovered the worst excesses of the ill-judged War on Terror – extraordinary rendition, torture and indefinite detention without trial. That’s just one of the reasons the Government’s Justice and Security Green Paper – an attempt to limit public scrutiny of the Government, security services and public bodies by keeping the press in the dark in civil cases – must be resisted at all costs.
Article 10 has thwarted many past attempts to prevent journalists from doing their job freely. Sadly, despite the key protection it offers, during recent times we’ve seen many outspoken attacks on the Human Rights Act in the media. Let’s hope that today, on World Press Freedom Day, all editors and reporters remember just how important human rights are to a free press.
