On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the European Union said independent media is a cornerstone of any democratic society and journalists must be protected at all times.
In a statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union, the EU highlights that democracy cannot exist without a free press, adding that access to media, along with freedom of expression are not ‘nice to haves’, but fundamental human rights.
The statement notes that across the world, the killing, injuring, and threatening, as well as the arbitrary detention, forcing into exile and silencing of journalists, has become a shocking reality. Women journalists in particular are disproportionately targeted by gender-based violence, including online harassment and abuse.
According to the EU, 2025 was the deadliest year for journalists worldwide ever recorded, and the killing of journalists and media professionals – as seen in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and in the current conflicts in the Middle East, recently in Gaza and in Lebanon as well as in Africa – should be fully investigated and those responsible must be held accountable.
