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UNESCO Launches Global Initiative to Address Legal Harassment of Journalists
91麻豆国产精品自拍 launched a new initiative to raise awareness of the growing misuse of legal threats to silence journalists investigating matters of public interest. Central to this initiative is a webinar series and a global needs assessment aimed at better understanding and countering the legal threats faced by the press.
The first webinar, held in collaboration with the African Court on Human and Peoples鈥 Right and the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information of the African Commission on Human and Peoples鈥 Rights, focused on the Continent.
With registrations from over 49 countries, It brought together more than 160 participants, including judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and journalists. Through powerful testimonies from journalists and insights from legal experts and researchers, the session explored the use of legal attacks to suppress media freedom. The webinar also examined the crucial role of judicial actors in upholding the right to freedom of expression and access to information.
鈥The misuse of legal charges to attack journalists is a growing issue in the region and we want to make this a priority for the African Commission on Human and People鈥檚 Rights鈥, said Ourveena Geereesha Topsy- Sonoo, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa.
Registrations are open for the second webinar of the series, which will be held on 30 June 2025 and tailored to stakeholders from Europe, and a third webinar focused on Central America, South America and the Caribbean, scheduled on 22 July 2025.
: they entail financial and reputational costs and open opportunities for hefty sanctions and even prolonged detention, in addition to the related psychological burden. Recently, UNESCO raised the alarm about an emerging trend: , which can be more difficult to identify as a limitation to freedom of expression, while often allowing for harsher sentences. These challenges were a key focus during the first webinar, where experts highlighted the urgent need to address them:
S茅gnonna Adjolohoun, Head of the Legal Division of the African Court on Human and People鈥檚 Rights, highlighted the key role of comprehensive responses: 鈥Ending SLAPP suits requires a collaborative effort, we need to join hands together with UNESCO, take lessons from this webinar, and make them into tangible outcomes.鈥
As part of this initiative, UNESCO is also undertaking a global needs assessment among lawyers, judges and prosecutors who work on cases related to freedom of expression. With a survey available in nine languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian), the needs assessment aims to gather evidence on the current state of play for legal professionals who deal with these cases and identify opportunities to strengthen tailored support.
To participate in the UNESCO needs assessment,
This initiative, funded by the and implemented in complementarity with the action of the Global Media Defence Fund, aims to build a judicial system that ensures an enabling environment for freedom of expression and to bolster the legal safety of journalists across the globe.
