RWB supports online platform for threatened journalists

Reporters Without Borders is supporting the Council of Europe’s creation of an online “rapid reaction platform” for threatened journalists, a project it has followed since its conception. RWB secretary-general Christophe Deloire will sign a memorandum of understanding on the platform’s creation in Paris on 4 December. An initiative by Council of Europe secretary general Thorbjørn Jagland, the platform is intended to channel accurate information about violations of article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, especially those endangering journalists and other news providers, and thereby enable the Council of Europe to take concrete action. Other organizations that are partners in this project include the International Federation of Journalists, the Association of European Journalists and Article 19, as well as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Union and United Nations. Reporters Without Borders hails this initiative and regards it as indicative of a significant increase in awareness on the part of inter-governmental bodies of the urgent need to address the safety of journalists. RWB is participating in the initiative in the hope that it will not be limited to information pooling, and that it will lead to concrete actions. RWB will pay close attention to the Council of Europe’s response to the cases brought to its attention.