Nordic-Baltic statement, deliverd by Marcus Holknekt, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the UN, at the General Debate of the Third Committee Interactive Dialouge with Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, 79th session of the UN General Assembly, United Nations, 17 October 2024
Mme/Mr President,
I am speaking on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and my own country, Sweden.
We thank the Special Rapporteur, Ms. Irene Khan, for her crucial work on the right to freedom of opinion and expression and take this opportunity to express our full support for her mandate.
The right to freedom of opinion and expression, both online and offline, is a cornerstone of every free and democratic society. Without it, there can be no open and inclusive political debate, no transparency, and no public accountability. Freedom of opinion and expression is also essential for the enjoyment of other human rights.
Ensuring the safety of journalists and other media workers is a crucial part of protecting the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Journalists play a vital role in supporting democracy, informing the public and holding the powerful to account, a task especially important in ongoing conflicts.
However, in every region of the world, access to free and independent media is being restricted – journalists and other media workers are being threatened, imprisoned, and even killed for doing their job. Women journalists, in particular, face unique and heightened threats, including gender-based violence, online harassment, and physical assaults, which severely impacts their ability to perform their duties. Such actions constitute serious violations and abuses of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
At a time when an unprecedented number of journalists have been killed or injured in ongoing conflicts, it is essential that we strengthen international cooperation to safeguard freedom of opinion and expression. We call on all Member States to join forces to support efforts to monitor and address violations and abuses, as well as to ensure accountability. We reaffirm our shared commitment to upholding the inherent right to freedom of opinion and expression for everyone, everywhere.
Madame Special Rapporteur, how can we, as national governments, further assist your important work in protecting journalists in conflicts?