Strasbourg (AFP)
Organizations defending press freedom denounce in a report published on Wednesday an increase in intimidation against journalists in Europe, notably pointing out the difficulty of covering the movement of "yellow vests" in France.
This annual report of the partner organizations of the Council of Europe Platform to strengthen the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists concludes that "there is a growing trend towards intimidation" and a situation of media freedom "very unsatisfactory "in 2019 in Europe.
At the end of 2019, "at least 105 journalists were behind bars in Turkey, Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation and on Ukrainian territory of Crimea under Russian control", note the authors.
Two journalists were also killed during the year in Council of Europe member states, Lyra McKee while covering a riot in Northern Ireland and Vadym Komarov during an attack in Ukraine.
State or oligarchic appropriation of the media, intrusive surveillance, targeted cyber attacks, closure of critical online media and portals, judicial and administrative harassment of journalists, laws against "fake news" hiding censorship: political control of information is reinforced in different ways.
If the report pins Russia, Azerbaijan, Malta, Serbia, Bulgaria or even Turkey - which remains a country "extremely repressive for the press" despite the decrease in the number of imprisoned journalists -, France is not free from criticism.
"In 2019, France recorded a marked increase in violence against media professionals who covered protest movements against government policy", like those of "yellow vests", pointed out the platform, of which Reporters is a member without limits.
"Many journalists have been victims of threats or attacks by the police", deplore the authors of the report, deeming problematic "the frequent use by the police of ball-throwers + defense +, grenades de-encirclement or explosive tear gas canisters and other so-called non-lethal weapons. "
They also stress that "under French law, complaints lodged against members of the security forces are first investigated by the IGPN or the general inspection of the national gendarmerie (IGGN), which has the effect of delaying the possible prosecution of a number of physical assaults. "
© 2020 AFP