World Press Freedom Day- NEWS UNCENSORED

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Introduced by the United Nations General Assembly, World Press Freedom Day is annually celebrated on May 3rd every year. This day celebrates the importance of freedom of the press and raises awareness for the same. The agenda of this day is to remind the government to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression which is represented under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In the year 1991, an African journalist devised a principle that is universally called the Windhoek Declaration. It is a statement of press freedom that includes the flexibility of a press release. This principle states that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published material should be considered a right to be exercised freely.
This declaration is a call for the government to strengthen press freedom and ensure the safety of the journalist during their work hours.

World Press Freedom Day was announced officially and publicly by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO's General Conference. Since then, May 3rd, the anniversary of the declaration of Windhoek has been celebrated as World Press Freedom Day worldwide. It is actually an opportunity to defend the media from attacks on their independence and a tribute to the journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The declaration also works as a reminder to the public that publications are censored, fined, suspended, and closed down, while journalists, editors, and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained, and even murdered which is unfair and disturbs the workplace peace.

Guillermo Cano Isaza, a Colombian journalist, was assassinated in front of the officials of his newspaper, EI Espectador in Bogota on December 17, 1986. The reason for the assassination was Cano’s writings offended a drug baron of Columbia. A prize is awarded in the name of Guillermo Cano Isaza to an organization or institution that has made some contribution to protecting the press and promoting the freedom of the press anywhere in the world. This prize-awarding ceremony was created in 1997 and involves a group of 14 individuals. These jury members are media professionals and recommend the names for the prize. The names are also forwarded by non-governmental organizations, those that are working for press freedom, and also by the states of UNESCO. Every year while observing World Press Freedom Day, an international conference is organized that brings together media professionals, press freedom organizations, and specialized agencies of the United Nations. Each conference comes up with a theme related to press freedom, including good governance, media coverage of terrorism, grime in society, and the role of media in post-conflict countries. Taking a closer look at the list of conferences that were held during the yesteryears, we came to know that the first ever press freedom conference was held in 1998 in the city of London and the theme was “Press Freedom is a Cornerstone of Human rights." The next year, that is 1999, the second conference was held in the city of Bogota and the theme was “Turbulent Eras: Generational Perspectives on Freedom of the Press”. In 2000, the third conference was held in a city in Switzerland, Genève and the theme was “Turbulent Eras: Generational Perspectives on Freedom of the Press”. And from there on, each and every year these conferences started to grow along with the burning issues, and each and every year they selected a place where the professionals from the field of journalism and development came to lecture upon certain issues. The conference was held last year, 2018 in Jakarta, and the theme was “Critical Minds for Critical Times: Media’s Role in advancing peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.” This year's conference took place in Accra and the theme was “Keeping Power in Check: Media Justice and the Rule of Law”.

When it comes to how important the press freedom is, it is as important as any part of the democracy. Journalists are murdered by criminal forces all over the world.

There is an example of the assassination of Mexican reporters by drug cartels. It’s heartbreaking when we remember the massacre in Paris where two brothers, Said, and Cherif Kouachi, forced their way into the offices of the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. Armed with rifles and other weapons, they killed 12 officials and injured 11 others. Several related attacks are identified and reporters are killed. A number of Russian journalists have been killed or died suspiciously after reporting on corruption and human rights violations. Recent news of a Siberian correspondent allegedly falling from his fifth-floor apartment balcony; his recent stories were about private Russian military contractors killed fighting in Syria. It is important to make people know how professional journalists work. It is equally important to let people not interfere in the work of a journalist because they are the only one who discloses the stories we would never hear or read about.
World Press Freedom Day is an occasion where the general public can be informed about the violations against media people. Journalists and press organizations are fearless and can disclose each and every corrupted institution. On World Press Freedom Day, the Secretary of the State of Washington, DC reaffirms their commitment to promoting the fundamental principles of a free press around the world. They honor those men and women who work tirelessly, often at great personal risk. They are the guardians of democratic values and ideals.

The United States has a strong track record of advocating for and protecting press freedom. The U.S. Department of State offers development programs and exchanges for media professionals, supports the free flow of information and ideas on the Internet, and provides the tools and resources needed to keep journalists safe. Ethical and transparent media coverage is foundational to free and open societies. It promotes accountability and sparks public debate. Societies built on good governance, strong civil sense, and an open and free media are more prosperous, stable, and secure.
In many countries and cities around the world, particularly in the regions where there are ideological, political, and religious conflicts, violations of the independence of the press happen. This could be finely understood by observing the media and press conditions in India. In 2017, a famous Indian Journalist, Gauri Lankesh was shot dead by assailants unknown so far but widely suspected to belong to the ultra-right-wing groups whose lies and thuggery she had long been criticizing and highlighting with undeniable proof.

Photo source- dominicanewsonline.com
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