“As our eyes and ears on the ground, journalists must be protected at all times, everywhere,” EU High Representative Josep Borrell said on World Press Freedom Day, celebrated today worldwide.
He said the EU firmly condemned all acts of violence, including threats, against journalists for exercising their profession, whether perpetrated by states, organised groups or individuals.
“There must be no impunity for such crimes, no matter where they take place. Journalists and media workers reporting from armed conflict must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law. The EU deplores the dramatic increase in the number of journalists killed or injured while reporting on the devastating consequences of war,” said Borrell.
He added that journalists continue to be at risk on a daily basis as they report on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as from conflicts in Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan and elsewhere.
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On behalf of the EU, he expressed serious concern about the practice of denying independent media access to conflict zones and said the EU remained “steadfast in its commitment to protect media freedom and pluralism across the world”.
