Four freedom of expression rapporteurs whose mandates cover the entire world will meet at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, on June 25 to launch their annual 2012 Joint Declaration on Crimes against Freedom of Expression. A report from Vienna said the UN special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression Frank La Rue, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) representative on freedom of expression Dunja Mijatovic, the Organization of American States special rapporteur on freedom of expression Catalina Botero and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights special rapporteur on freedom of expression and access to information Faith Pansy Tlakula will take part in the launch.
It coincides with the International Press Institute's 61st World Congress in Port-of-Spain The panel of speakers will also host executive director of the Centre for Law and Democracy Toby Mendel and senior director for law and policy at Article 19 Barbora Bukovska, whose organisations facilitated the preparation of the joint declaration.
The report said the 14th Joint Declaration will outline major threats around the world, to journalists and media-often targeted for their critical coverage of politics, the economy, social and religious affairs, and for investigating crime and corruption. The document will focus on universal solutions and will encourage all governments and other stakeholders to help counter the killings of journalists, as well as the threats and physical attacks they systematically face.
Joint declarations of international freedom of expression by the special rapporteurs have been adopted annually since 1999, covering current universal challenges to media freedom and freedom of expression. The previous declarations are accessible at www.osce.org/fom/66176.