Foreign Minister Tsahkna: impunity for crimes against journalists undermines the foundations of democracy
Today 2 November, the International Day to End Impunity Against Journalists is marked for the tenth time.
On this day, I would like to reaffirm Estonia’s unwavering commitment to the protection of media freedom and accountability for all perpetrators of violence, threats and intimidation against journalists in Ukraine, the Middle East and elsewhere. The more there are crises and wars in the world, the more there are journalists working in extremely dangerous conditions. Many of them pay the ultimate price for bringing reliable information to the public.
Freedom of opinion and speech is an integral part of how democratic societies work. Independent media informs the public about important events and issues, making it possible for citizens to make informed and knowledgeable decisions. Therefore, impunity for crimes against journalists does not only supress freedom of speech, it also undermines the foundations of democracy and rule of law.
Estonia contributes to media freedom and the protection of journalists through the 51-member Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), which we are currently co-chairing with Germany. Our aim is to be compassionate about problems that journalists are facing while working in various countries and regions of the world, and find ways to help journalists in danger, including by issuing humanitarian visas and residence permits, if possible, to offer them shelter.
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