Motion for a resolution | Doc. 13964 | 27 January 2016

The protection of editorial integrity

Signatories: Sir Roger GALE, United Kingdom, EC ; Mr Volodymyr ARIEV, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Mehmet BABAOĞLU, Turkey, EC ; Ms Sílvia Eloïsa BONET, Andorra, SOC ; Ms Daphné DUMERY, Belgium, NR ; Mr Nigel EVANS, United Kingdom, EC ; Mr Axel E. FISCHER, Germany, EPP/CD ; Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO, Ukraine, EC ; Mr John HOWELL, United Kingdom, EC ; Ms Anette HÜBINGER, Germany, EPP/CD ; Mr Serhii KIRAL, Ukraine, EC ; Ms Julia KRONLID, Sweden, NR ; Mr Talip KÜÇÜKCAN, Turkey, EC ; Ms Stella KYRIAKIDES, Cyprus, EPP/CD ; Mr Jaak MADISON, Estonia, EC ; Mr Khalid MAHMOOD, United Kingdom, SOC ; Sir Alan MEALE, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Johan NISSINEN, Sweden, NR ; Ms Judith PALLARÉS, Andorra, ALDE ; Ms Kerstin RADOMSKI, Germany, EPP/CD ; Ms Ingjerd SCHOU, Norway, EPP/CD ; Mr Serhiy SOBOLEV, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Chiora TAKTAKISHVILI, Georgia, ALDE ; Ms Kelly TOLHURST, United Kingdom, EC

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The Parliamentary Assembly expresses its concern that recent coverage of events involving mass sexual attacks on predominantly women has been less than candid.

Editorial pressure has clearly been exerted to prevent honest handling of information related to the likely perpetrators of these attacks.

Journalists should be able to cover politically sensitive events without fear or favour.

The Assembly recommends that the mandate of the Council of Europe’s “Platform to promote protection of journalism and safety of journalists” be widened to embrace unwarranted editorial censorship and calls upon the competent committee of the Assembly to submit proposals for action as quickly as possible.