On 3rd November 2021, the Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights will host a roundtable discussion on “Justice and Freedom of the Press: How to Prevent Impunity for Crimes against Journalists”. Promoted by Ossigeno per l’Informazione, on behalf of UNESCO, to celebrate the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI), the roundtable discussion will address the investigation and prosecution of threats, attacks, and crimes against journalists.
The panel will comprise speakers from four European countries – including Italy – where killings of journalists recently occurred that raised alarm and concerns in Europe about how the safety and the protection of journalists can be guaranteed to prevent serious and fatal events. The roundtable will be constituted by journalist and prosecutors from Denmark, Italy, Greece, and Malta, as well as from representatives from UNESCO and from the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP).
Attacks against journalists contribute to a climate of fear for media professionals, preventing the free circulation of information, opinions and ideas among all citizens. It is therefore important to investigate and prosecute these crimes and to avoid that threats of violence turn into action.
According to Jean-François Thony, President of the Siracusa Institute, <<Ending impunity for crimes against journalists requires to give more tools to the police, the prosecutors, and the Judges. Legal means, budget means but also the skills to conduct investigations and prosecutions in cases which are always very complex. UNESCO, IAP and the Siracusa Institute (SII) have made this issue a priority and have established a partnership to address it. “Guidelines for prosecutors on cases of crimes against journalists” have been developed by IAP and UNESCO in December 2020 and are now translated in 18 languages. They aim at helping prosecutors in investigating and prosecuting these crimes efficiently and effectively. >>
The roundtable will be held in Siracusa (Italy), at the headquarters of the Siracusa Institute, in a hybrid format. The debate is structured in two sessions, starting at 10:00 a.m., for a total time of three hours. Interpretation between Italian and English will be provided.
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