The latest global assessment by Freedom House has found that press freedom around the world reached its lowest point in 12 years. At the United Nations, the newly-adopted UN Sustainable Development Goals include a new target, to achieve Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms for All, and that is the theme of the international conference being held in Helsinki, Finland, where 1000 participants are gathering to represent journalists associations, media houses, NGOs and international organisations.
AEJ Sections are taking part in special events to mark World Press Freedom Day on and around 3 May, including the following:-
Austria: Debate on pressing media freedom in Vienna
Brussels: ‘Difference Day’ meetings on 3 May aim to make a difference to advance press freedom and security of journalists across Europe: speeches, debates and actions
Bulgaria: AEJ-Bulgaria will organise journalists’ seminar on how to report on accidents and tragedies.
Helsinki: UNESCO and Finnish government host World Press Freedom Day international conference: Multiple Side Events with civil society and media organisations on 2 May; main conference and parallel research conference on 3-4 May; AEJ vice-president and media freedom representative participates
Turkey: Protest demonstrations to take place in major cities against worsening government attempts to suppress free media by imprisonment, prosecution and intimidation of journalists in all forms of media
UK: AEJ co-hosted EU project and seminar on ‘Safety of journalists in the digital age’, with visiting Russian and European journalists in London, 26 April.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Prospective AEJ Section organises press conferences in Sarajevo and Banja Luka to announce new findings and assessments of press freedom threats and policy responses.