Informed 07 Press freedom


A third of world has no freedom of expression


Just 15 per cent of the world lives in countries where they can express themselves freely, with over one- third (35 per cent) of people living in places where free expression is “in crisis”, according to the 2022 Global Expression Report by human rights organisation Article 19. Five new entries in the crisis category


were: Myanmar, Afghanistan, Sudan, Hong Kong and Chad. Countries at the botom of the freedom


of expression league include: North Korea, China, Nicaragua, Saudi Arabia and Equatorial Guinea. All the top 10 were European and not one country in Africa gained a top rating. Russia, Ethiopia, Myanmar and Brazil were named as countries which have ramped up repression in the past year. Tere were 644 atacks on the Mexican press in


2021; 43 per cent involved the country’s public authorities. Te top jailers of journalists were China (50 detainees), Myanmar (26), Egypt (25), Vietnam (23), and Belarus (19). A new favourite tool of the digital-era


autocrat is internet shutdowns – those happened 182 times in 2021 in 34 countries. Te global leader was India, followed by Myanmar and Iran.


Te report singled out the UK as an


international hotspot for people taking out Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), aggressive legal action against journalists, with 10 per cent of cases recorded in 2021 originating in Britain. “Te international community continues to turn a blind eye, prioritising profit over people,” the report writers concluded. “Governments rightly condemn Russia at the same time as discussing trade with Saudi Arabia. Tis hypocrisy feeds the cycle of democratic decline and comes at a great long-term cost.” www.article19.org/gxr-22/


Journalists’ safety Te NUJ has created a mini- app for its digital safety toolkit to be launched in September, together with a video of members talking about their experiences of threats and abuse and the results of the government’s second safety survey. Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, continues to represent the union on the National Commitee for the Safety of Journalists and introduced officials at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport to a team in Canada, led by PEN Canada writers group, civil


liberties associations and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, who are working on a press freedom tracker which monitors incidents and collects data on atacks and harassment of journalists in real time. Strong support has been received from Catherine Martin, the Irish media minister, for the formation of a national safety forum modelled on the UK commitee.


Assange extradition Te UK press belatedly joined the NUJ and other campaigners in protesting against the extradition of


WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, to the US, calling the move an atack on press freedom. Te Home Secretary, Priti Patel, gave the go-ahead for Assange’s dispatch to America to face charges under the Espionage Act. Further appeals will be vigorously pursued says NEC member Tim Dawson, who has followed his case on behalf of the union. “How many more days must Assange languish in jail? And, most important, how much damage to free expression and the democracy it supports will we tolerate?” he said. Sign


the Speak Out petition: htps://speak-up-for- assange.org/


SLAPPed down Te union has welcomed new measures to prevent legislation used to intimidate journalists by wealthy litigants aiming to supress press freedom. A new three- part test, which considers public interest, will be used to strike out such cases before they reach court. Tere will also be a cap on costs. Michelle Stanistreet said they were a significant step in tackling these chilling lawsuits.


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