ONG & Institutions – The Ossigeno Colloquium in Brussels and the themes raised

In anticipation of a new encounter, here is a summary of the issues that emerged and the questions that today’s reality re-proposes

OSSIGENO 6th November 2020 – The pandemic prevented the holding of the new edition of the “Public Colloquium”, organized a year ago, on the 6th November 2019, by Ossigeno per l’Informazione at the Press Club of Brussels, with the participation of representatives of associations (European Federation of Journalists, Union of Belgian Flemish Journalists VVJ and others) and international institutions (Unesco, European Parliament, European Commission) to discuss the most suitable initiatives to be put in place to formulate effective strategies and policies against intimidation and threats to journalists, against impunity for crimes against reporters, against the abuse of defamation complaints, and against the neglect of national governments towards these problems.

It would have been useful and interesting, like a year ago, to examine from various contributors the worrying evolution of what we call violent censorship, to discuss the unchallenged abuse of defamation lawsuits, to explain the growing hostility towards reporters on the front line of the news, to evaluate the lack of legislative, procedural and organizational initiatives urged for years by the major international organizations, and so on.

This is necessary in order to unite in a coherent and joint effort non-governmental associations, institutions, trade unions and politicians in order to take a step forward in the fight against impunity for crimes against journalists.

We hope to be able to organize this new encounter soon. Meanwhile, Ossigeno invites you to read the report of the 2019 Colloquium, which is still full of ideas and contains many questions still waiting to be answered. ASP

Colloquium Ossigeno 2019: The proposals

Colloquium Ossigeno 2019: The report

Colloquium Ossigeno 2019: The message from the European Parliament President Sassoli