The annual General Assembly of the European Association Journalists (AEJ) meeting in Burgenland, Austria, condemns as unacceptable the high number of violent attacks against journalists, acts of arbitrary harassment and interference, and other attacks against media freedom and freedom of expression in European countries, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Turkey and Russia.
The members of the Association call on all States to fulfil the solemn commitments to create a safe and enabling environment for journalists which they made in the UN General Assembly Resolution on the Safety of Journalists that was adopted unopposed in December 2013; we welcome the declaration in that Resolution of 2 November as International Day to end Impunity for Crimes against Journalists and call for urgent actions by state authorities, professional bodies and civil society groups to eradicate impunity, in line with the special events being organised by the Council of Europe, UNESCO and other Inter-Governmental Organisations.
AEJ members urge determined actions to stop political and other forms of interference in editorial content; impunity which creates a climate of fear and self-censorship; oppressive media laws and misuses of administrative powers and fines; abuse of laws related to defamation, blasphemy and libel; and actions by state authorities and concerned citizens to eradicate persistent failures to find and punish crimes against media workers (impunity).