COPENHAGEN, 27.05.2024
At the conclusion of their annual meeting in Copenhagen, the Board of Directors of WAN-IFRA issued a series of resolutions addressing critical issues facing the global media landscape. These resolutions underscore WAN-IFRA’s commitment to promoting a sustainable business ecosystem for the news, safeguarding media integrity, ensuring the safety of journalists, and upholding press freedom in a pivotal year for global democracy.
The Board of the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), meeting during the 75th World News Media Congress taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark 27th– 29th May 2024, reiterates condemnation of the killing of journalists in Gaza and calls for greater accountability to reduce impunity for crimes against journalists.
Acknowledging the tragedy of over 100 deaths of journalists in Israel’s war against Hamas,
Recognising the unprecedented toll upon, and immense sacrifice of journalists in Gaza who have been reporting the conflict, at great risk to themselves and their families, and working in increasingly desperate humanitarian conditions,
Calling for greater safety and protection of journalists, particularly those assigned to, or living and working in, conflict areas,
Recognising that journalists are civilians and therefore reiterating, under international law, that they must be protected as such,
Demanding accountability via thorough, transparent investigations into all killings of journalists, and where perpetrators are found to be responsible, urging prosecution under impartial legal frameworks to reduce impunity and crimes against journalists.
The WAN-IFRA board resolves:
- To continue raising the issue of impunity, journalists’ safety, and the need for effective coordinated action to reduce killings of journalists.
- To engage, via WAN-IFRA’s regional programmes, in the support of initiatives designed to assist journalists and media organisations in Gaza to rebuild the sector, pursue quality independent journalism, and work towards viable and sustainable business operations.
- To support efforts towards creating an independent media publishers’ association for Palestinian media, as an essential representative of – and advocate for – the sector in the strengthening and rebuilding of professional media.