Protecting whistleblowers and journalists. Seminar in Ghent

On 27 November 2018, Ossigeno will take the floor at the University of Ghent. The key-note speech will be delivered by Prof. Dirk Voorhoof, leading expert in international media law

On Tuesday 27 November 2018, from 9.00 to 13.00, Maria Laura Franciosi and Ilaria Fevola, along with Sarah Vantorre, will be representing Ossigeno per l’Informazione in the 2nd International Press Freedom Seminar “Protecting whistleblowers & journalists” that will be held at the Faculty of Law and Criminology and the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Ghent.

This year’s seminar, to which 90 students have already registered, will be focusing on the existing international, European as well as national legal framework and the current legal instruments under discussion in Europe to protect both journalists and whistleblowers. Great attention will be given to those citizens that unveil phenomena and unlawful behaviours related to corruption, mismanagement and other issues that have known because of their work.

Whistleblowers, that in Italy are called trusted source of information, face serious risks to lose their job and more serious consequences. Nonetheless, currently, they do not enjoy the same degree of protection as journalists in relation to their professional secrecy. Those risks come are the same as journalists as they contribute to bring information to the public, to unveil unlawful behaviours, to secure that those responsible, who are endangering public security and citizens’ savings, are brought to justice. Therefore, they play an essential role in democracies in the same way as journalists do.

The key-note speech will be delivered by Prof. Dirk Voorhoof (University of Ghent and Legal Human Academy), one of the acknowledged world experts in international media law.

The seminar is organised by Prof. Eva Lievens who will be delivering the opening addresses along with Prof. Sarah Van Leuven.

You can register at the following link: https://eventmanager.ugent.be/pressfreedomseminar

ASP (if)