Brussels, 03/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - The EU high representative, Catherine Ashton, and the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, stated on Thursday 3 May - the World Press Freedom Day - how important media freedom is. Schulz said that press freedom is essential if all the other political freedoms are to be safeguarded. “Press freedom is never achieved once and for all. It is something that must be nourished and fought for every day”, he said. Ashton and Schulz paid tribute to all those who are fighting to preserve freedom of expression, as well as for the freedom and pluralism of the press and other media, and for the freedom of journalists who have risked or lost their lives to keep us informed of what is happening in the most dangerous parts of the world.
“Censorship and harassment of editors, writers, journalists or bloggers are unacceptable, as are the use of violence and state-induced arrests inflicted upon them”, the high representative said. She called on all states to ensure the safety of journalists and to authorise them to “carry out their vital role of reporting and commenting on events in an independent manner without fear of violence and recrimination”.
Schulz underlined the growing importance of media freedom in European enlargement and neighbourhood policies. This, he said, must be systematically taken into account in all bilateral relations and agreements with third countries, especially Arab countries, he said. The S&D Group voiced its concern at the developments on media freedom in a number of countries outside the EU, such as Turkey, where many journalists are imprisoned, said Hannes Swoboda, the group president.
Like Catherine Ashton, Swoboda spoke of the important role that the new media play in regions such as the Arab world, pointing out that most revolutions against existing regimes have been assisted by the internet, mobile phones and messaging services. Explaining that freedom of expression also extends to the internet and to the other media, Ashton said the “EU is firmly opposed to any unjustified, disproportional restrictions of access to or use of these media”. (CG/transl.jl)