The Siracusa Institute is one of the contributors for the development of the Guidelines
Within the framework of a UNESCO-IAP partnership, the new “Guidelines for Prosecutors on Cases of Crimes Against Journalists”, were recently published. Developed by Mr. Sabin Ouellet, former Chief Prosecutor of the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions of Québec City,the publication has been supported by UNESCO’s Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists, and by the Open Society Foundations.
According to UNESCO’s data, 90% of cases of killing of journalists remained unpunished over the past decade. These guidelines have been therefore developed for the overall purpose of fostering a safe environment for media workers, with a view to strengthening democracy and human rights. The strengthening of prosecutors’ knowledge and capabilities in the fight against impunity for crimes against journalists is the main focus of the guidelines.
Specifically, they have been developed for providing, amongst other things, new insights on the conduct of investigations, to discuss the protection of victims and witnesses, and to examine the issue of mutual legal assistance in criminal matter and extradition. The full document is available at the link below, as well as at UNESCO’s website.
Guidelines for Prosecutors on Cases of Crimes Against Journalists
