Activity Details (ID# 14074)

Activity Synopsis

The Group is examining whether the existing international standards concerning freedom of expression and information in times of crisis are adequate and sufficient to guarantee this freedom. If the Group concludes that there is a need to update the existing standards at the European level or to draft new ones, it will formulate concrete proposals. If it finds that there is no such need, it will explore new or improved monitoring and enforcement mechanisms for the existing standards. 

The Group decided to request the Council of Europe to provide resources and organise an additional, smaller-scale working meeting of several Group members with the possible participation of outside experts. The objective of this meeting would be to work out draft operational guidelines on the basis of a preliminary draft to be prepared by the Secretariat, in consultation by e-mail with the MC-S-IC members. The meeting would take place at a convenient time in April, May or a later date before the next scheduled full-scale meeting.

It was proposed that the Group prepare a position paper for the CDMC emphasising the important role which investigative journalism plays in society by working in the public interest and being part of the system of checks and balances in a democracy. It was also noted that investigative journalism plays is particularly important in times of crisis because it is about finding out facts and about accuracy.

It was recalled that it is not possible to draw a clear distinction between investigative and other journalists. However, if the general standards of freedom of expression and information of relevance to the media, notably in times of crisis, are upheld, this would be also of benefit to investigative journalism, regardless of precisely how it is defined.

The Group agreed to prepare a position paper along these lines. It should list the specific areas of general standards (e.g., access to information, protection of sources, etc.) whose adequate implementation would also be of benefit to investigative journalism. The Secretariat was asked to prepare a first draft of the position paper and to circulate it by e-mail to the Group.

Further, participants discussed a draft questionnaire to be addressed to member states for monitoring the implementation of texts adopted by the Council of Europe on freedom of expression and information in times of crisis. Some participants felt that the questionnaire needed to be more specific. The formulation of the questions has to be very precise in order to elicit the expected clear-cut responses. It was agreed that a revised draft would be prepared by the Secretariat and discussed at the next meeting in September 2006.

In addition to the use of the above questionnaire, the Group agreed to explore the following possibilities for enhancing and expanding the existing monitoring methods of the Council of Europe:

• Propose to the Council of Europe to appoint a special co-ordinator on freedom of expression and information in times of crisis;

• Use in the monitoring process the feedback from the proposed forum on rights and responsibilities of the media and the working conditions of journalists in times of crisis and information network on the media’s contribution to inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue.

Further the Group discussed the possible modalities for establishing a forum on rights and responsibilities of the media and the working conditions of journalists in times of crisis and an information network on the media’s contribution to inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue.

A number of concrete ideas were proposed. The Secretariat was asked to develop them further in a draft proposal, in conjunction with the idea for appointing a special co-ordinator on freedom of expression and information in times of crisis. The paper should be sent by e-mail to all participants for comments and will then be revised at the next Group meeting as a proposal to be submitted to the CDMC.

Further, the participants agreed in principle on the need to establish an award for media which have made an outstanding contribution to conflict prevention or resolution, understanding and dialogue. Then the Group discussed the concrete modalities of such an award. The Secretariat was asked to develop on the basis of the discussions a draft proposal to be refined at the Group meeting in September 2006.

Significant time was devoted to an exchange of views and ideas on possible strategies to encourage the training of media professionals in order to provide professional and independent coverage of crisis situations. A draft paper prepared by the representative of Armenia with the representative of the Russian Federation was discussed. Valuable ideas and practical experience were offered by representatives of the International News Safety Institute and the European Broadcasting Union.

In conclusion, the Group asked the Secretariat to prepare, using as a basis the above document and the elements of the discussion, a draft paper. The draft would be forwarded by e-mail to all participants so that the Group could discuss it at its meeting in September 2006 and possibly finalise it as a “position” or “strategy” paper.

The participants also discussed the Danish cartoons of the prophet Mohammad and, more specifically, possible proposals for action to address this controversy. It was suggested to collect various opinions on this case and to hold a constructive discussion at a later stage because the controversy ran much deeper than the publishing of certain cartoons by a newspaper. It was also proposed that this event could be used as the triggering occasion for the launching of the network on inter-religious and inter-cultural tolerance. One participant also recalled that some broadcasters had already taken effective measures to promote diversity and tolerance. Such approaches should be used as positive examples. 

After the meeting, the Council of Europe agreed to organise an additional, smaller-scale working meeting which would prepare draft operational guidelines on the basis of a preliminary paper drafted by the Secretariat, in consultation by e-mail with the MC-S-IC members. The meeting was scheduled for 26-27 June 2006.

The work on the remaining draft documents will continue meanwhile with a view to discussing them at the regular Group meeting in September 2006 and then submitting them to the CDMC for its subsequent meeting.

At the end of the discussion, the representatives of the European Commission, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe agreed to explore the options for a joint conference or other meeting on the topic of the Danish cartoons and the serious issues that this controversy has raised.
 

The Group is composed of the following member States: Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation, Serbia and Montenegro, Sweden, Turkey. Other member States may designate, at their own expense, specialists to participate in the meetings of the Group.

The Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the European Audiovisual Observatory and the European Commission may also send representatives (without the right to vote).

The following observers with the Council of Europe may also send a representative without the right to vote: Canada, the Holy See, Japan, Mexico, the United States of America, the OSCE, the European Broadcasting Union, the European Federation of Journalists, the European Newspaper Publishers Association, the European Internet Service Providers’ Association, the Association of Commercial Television in Europe, the International News Safety Institute, the Rory Peck Trust, Reporters sans frontieres and Article 19.
 

Mr Jan MALINOWSKI, Head of Media Division, Directorate General of Human Rights
Mr Ivan NIKOLTCHEV, Secretary to the MC-S-IC, Media Division, Directorate General of Human Rights