Let the Journalists Work: Op-ed by the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jan Braathu, on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day
Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights protects the right to hold opinions, express views, and share information. A free press is essential to ensure the public’s right to know. The public requires accurate, objective and independent news that they can trust. For this reason, professional standards of fact-based journalism remain the core of consolidating a sustainable democracy with transparent institutions and accountability of public officials. This is a pillar of a pluralistic democratic society. Diversity of opinion is the basis of free and democratic societies.
Journalists should do more than simply bring the story. Ideally, they should strive to dig out and collate information from a variety of sources so as to provide for deeper context and more insightful public understanding of socio-political developments. They should shed light on and document activities of public institutions and public officials that are often unknown to the wider public, so as to hold these institutions and the individuals in charge accountable for their actions.
Investigative Journalism
Journalists in Kosovo diligently work to expose corruption schemes, reveal political and business ties in the corridors of power, and engage the public in political debate and the current social agenda. It is encouraging to see you pushing for enhanced transparency and accountability by relentlessly reporting on issues of public interest.
Regrettably, some of the authors of these investigative reports have been targeted – sometimes by name, sometimes by insinuation - in smear campaigns, labelled as traitors and spies that follow foreign agendas. Some media premises have been vandalized and some journalists have even been physically attacked in broad daylight. Even though they may not be daily occurrences, spurious accusations impede the work of journalists and media outlets and are ultimately detrimental to the scope of information that a diverse Kosovo public receives.
Due to their investigative reporting, several women journalists have also been subject to threats, intimidation and harassment, including towards their family members. We will continue to tackle the dangers faced by women journalists, gauge the nature and frequency of these types of crimes and offer suggestions to provide for a safe working environment for women in the media.
Statements by public officials that aim to influence journalists and media not to publish information and explore stories of vital public interest are contrary to OSCE values and agreed principles. The 2018 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on the Safety of Journalists urges political leaders and public officials to refrain from intimidating, threatening or condoning violence against journalists.
In line with this OSCE Decision, we have consistently advocated for the safety and protection of journalists and have continuously followed up on cases with journalist associations.
Compared with 28 acts against journalists that occurred in 2017, a considerable decrease followed in 2018 with 16 reported cases. The trend seems to hold in 2019, with five cases of threats and intimidation against journalists registered to date. This is a positive trend and we commend all those – institutions, media, and the public – who contributed in this regard.
When pressures are exerted, the usual swift reactions by the journalists’ associations demonstrate growing solidarity among journalists. This solidarity is an important factor in combating threats and intimidation that ultimately affect all journalists.
Impunity, Missing and Murdered Journalists
Since its inception, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo has worked relentlessly to promote media freedom and support media development as an essential instrument for a free and open society and an accountable governance system. As emphasized in the mentioned 2018 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on the Safety of Journalists, governments are urged to “take effective measures to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists, by ensuring accountability as a key element in preventing future attacks, including by ensuring that law enforcement agencies carry out swift, effective and impartial investigations into acts of violence and threats against journalists, in order to bring all those responsible to justice, and ensure that victims have access to appropriate remedies”.
We encourage and facilitate collaboration between the associations of journalists and rule of law institutions for swifter resolution of pending cases involving journalists. Journalists should be able to rely on the efficiency of rule of law institutions to perform their work responsibly and without fear and intimidation.
In marking May 3rd, we also remember 15 of your colleagues who were murdered or kidnapped between 1998 and 2005 in Kosovo. It is a matter of profound importance to discuss both solved and unsolved cases of past crimes against journalists, so that the families get closure and perpetrators of such acts receive judgement and punishment. We have taken on the challenge of facilitating a process to shed light on the fate of these journalists by engaging the families of the victims, supporting initiatives that further public discourse on the subject, and raising awareness among the public and rule of law institutions on the importance of ending impunity. Of course, also here journalists have a role to play and we strongly support those journalists who have engaged in shedding light onto these cases. This discussion sends a strong and unequivocal message that media safety, freedom, and protection are ideals that must be upheld.
A significant milestone in this regard was achieved in June 2018 when the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) adopted a resolution jointly proposed by associations of journalists in Pristina and Belgrade, requesting resolution of the cases of murdered and missing journalists from the 1998–2005 period. The resolution also calls for the establishment of a commission, which would among others include journalists, to investigate these cases.
Working Conditions
The dangers that journalists face when reporting have an impact on media freedom. The problem is further compounded when these dangers come from inside the media outlets themselves.
As noted in the 2018 edition of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo report Indicators on the Level of Media Freedom and Journalists' Safety, journalists continue to work under poor working conditions with rather poor compensation.
In that regard, we applaud the courage of journalists who have come forward in reporting violations of labour rights in media workplaces. We call for improved awareness of the labor conditions of journalists. The Kosovo labor regulations must apply fully also to media outlets. A notable achievement in this regard was the signing of the EFJ Charter on Journalists Working Conditions which calls for improving working conditions and reinforcing labor rights of journalists and media workers in Europe, fighting against censorship and promoting free access to information and sources.
Financial sustainability and Self-censorship
With regard to finances, the majority of media outlets do not have stable and sustainable funding. The issue of funding is acute for independent local media in particular, who often lack proper financial investments and opportunities for professional advancement for their journalists. Media outlets are also facing pressures forcing them to go from print to online, reduce journalistic staff and their engagement in investigative journalism. We see that financial pressures affect the quality of journalism. The copy-paste model of “journalism” is not conducive to supporting an informed general public.
In the long-run, sustainable and independent media cannot rely on project grants, such as from international donors. While such grants have been instrumental in setting up media outlets, including non-majority media, these media outlets must achieve commercial viability for their long-term sustainability.
At the same time, lack of ownership transparency and sustainable funding are conducive to clandestine relationships between media, business and politics. This environment inevitably affects the objectivity of media and editorial independence and contributes to undermining public trust. Media must also be resilient to direct and indirect pressures that result in self-censorship.
Conclusion
We must work together to further expand the safety of the working environment for journalists, where they feel free to publish all verified, fact-checked information. This environment should not require the compromise of safety and the well-being of the journalist in exchange for providing accurate and objective information.
Allow me to conclude by emphasizing once again the importance of bringing perpetrators of crimes against journalists to justice. Recognizing the achievements of recent years, we urge for more effective implementation of the applicable legal framework for the protection of journalists, in line with OSCE values. This responsibility rests on all of us: associations of journalists, law enforcement, the prosecution, the judiciary, international organizations and the wider public.
Today, I congratulate all courageous journalists and honour the role of a free and independent media in consolidating a sustainable democracy and an open and transparent society in Kosovo.