By Polina Pallieraki,
World Press Freedom Day was established at the initiative of the World Press Association and has been celebrated annually since May 3, 1993, in commemoration of the Windhoek Declaration, a call for freedom of expression signed by African journalists in 1991, for free and independent media.
This day reminds us of the importance of protecting the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and freedom of the press, as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but also by our Constitution. Without these two fundamental rights, democracy is empty of content.
In an announcement of the Association of Editors of Daily Newspapers we read:
“Freedom of the press with unemployment of journalists, which in our country exceeds 50% along with unpaid work and insurance in disarray, are incompatible.
Newspapers without editors, channels without news bulletins and fiction, which drowns out the information to gamble, is the rule that the new cartels want to impose along with the old entanglement.
In this direction of the UN declaration for May 3rd, which is the World Press Freedom Day, the journalists in our country continue to fight against painless politicians, government manipulations, and unscrupulous employers, who deny that information is a right and the independence of journalists presupposes full employment and insurance rights”.
The announcement above, which also expresses the positions of the Association of Editors of Daily Newspapers, highlights the priority of defending and promoting press freedom around the world, supporting the basic principles, and launching information campaigns on the difficulties that journalists face in their daily struggle for the truth.
This year’s message from the Board of the Association of Editors of Daily Newspapers directors of all directions, on the occasion and recent events, is the crucial paragraph of the European Charter on Freedom of the Press, which states: punishments.
The protection of journalistic sources must be strictly observed.
In its own announcement, the Association of Magazine – Electronic Press Editors notes:
“World Press Freedom Day, which is celebrated every May 3rd around the world, is there to remind everyone that a free, secure, and independent press is one of the cornerstones of democracy and peace. However, a foundation that in recent years has been systematically undermined by the ongoing unemployment crisis, which in Greece exceeds 50% along with undeclared, unpaid, or poorly paid work and the Insurance in decay.
Governments, media employers, and civil society have a role to play in supporting this foundation while respecting the obvious; that information is a sacred right and that the independence of journalists presupposes full employment and insurance rights.
Every day in many countries around the world, people in the press, in their attempt to shed light on the arbitrariness to the detriment of society and citizens, become targets themselves. This year alone and to this day, according to the relevant research of the International Federation of Journalists, 13 colleagues from all over the world lost their lives defending the revelation of the truth, defending the right to information”.
The message of the World Press Freedom Day, as the International European Federation of Journalists, conveys it, expressing Association of Magazine – Electronic Press Editors and the whole journalistic world is clear: freedom of the press around the world must be an absolute priority and journalists must be free, undisturbed and unbound to record the facts and shed light on the truth, under any circumstances, without threats, restrictions or punishments.
The Board of Association of Magazine – Electronic Press Editors on the occasion of May 3rd:
- states that attacks on freedom of the press and its officials are attacks on democracy itself
- is constantly on the lookout for any violations against colleagues
- underlines the competitive readiness of the industry to safeguard not only the employment and insurance rights of all colleagues but also the quality and reliability of public information in every way.
Today, freedom of speech, or freedom of expression, is recognized in international and regional Human Rights law. This right is enshrined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 13 of the American Covenant on Human Rights, and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. According to John Milton’s arguments, freedom of speech is understood as a multi-faceted right that includes not only the right to express or disseminate information and ideas but also three distinct strands:
- the right to seek information and ideas
- the right to receive information and ideas, and
- the right to disseminate information and ideas.
Taking everything into account, the free exchange of ideas and opinions is one of the most valuable human rights. Therefore, every citizen can speak, write, and print freely, but they will be responsible for abuses of that freedom, as defined by law. As the saying goes, “all in good measure”.
References
- Φλώρος, Κ., 3η Μαίου: Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Ελευθεροτυπίας, nexusmedia.gr, Available here
- Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Ελευθεροτυπίας, polignosi.com, Available here
