MPs urge government to 'go further' to ensure journalists' safety

MPs called on the government to "go further" to ensure the safety of journalists in the UK and abroad, in a parliamentary debate which also raised the issue of impunity in countries across the world.

In a debate, which comes ahead of the expected presentation of UNESCO's draft action plan on the issue of press safety to UNESCO's International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) tomorrow, MP Don Foster reflected on the recent news which has "drawn much attention to these issues", such as the deaths of Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik in Syria last month.

Foster highlighted research which he said found 60 per cent of journalist deaths in 2011 "occurred away from conflict zones" and that local journalists in particular were facing danger.

In some areas of the world threats and other dangers "have become [an] unavoidable part of the job".

"The continuing high level of media deaths cries out for more action from international bodies such as the United Nations to force governments to pay more attention to the safety crisis facing journalists and the media. More has to be done to improve safety and combat impunity."

He added that in the UK the government "must go out of its way to ensure there [are] thorough investigations into all cases of our journalists killed at home or abroad.

"I think our government can go further".

He referred to the fact the UK "does not contribute financially to the work of the IPDC" and also called on the government to "press UNESCO to be absolutely clear that the promotion of safety and ending of impunity must apply in non-conflict areas as well as in warzones.

"We want our government to speak out forcefully for press freedom".

Labour shadow minister for media Helen Goodman added that "the problem seems to be intensifying" and called on news organisations to consider their own responsibilities.

"Obviously organisations are careful about where they send their staff ... but there is a concern about the way freelancers are treated ... that a lesser sense of responsibility is felt towards a freelancer. That's clearly not right when the media organisation and the rest of us are taking stories and pictures of the freelancers.

"... This is an issue where media organisations do have responsibilities and do need to look to the way they treat everybody they are paying to get news for their media outlets."

MP John McDonnell added: "One thing this government can do is take the lead on this now.

"I think the UK government now needs to be the government seen to be standing up for journalists around the world and should not allow any international body we're a member of that has any role in the protection of journalists against these crimes, to meet without us raising those issues and ensuring they're geared up for action."

"I think we can stand as a beacon of light on this issue," he added.

Foreign Office minister Jeremy Brown said the government "is deeply concerned about the safety of journalists" and "strongly condemns" threats against them.

"We are all of us sometimes inclined to take it for granted that one can switch on the television, turn on the radio, open the newspaper, and feel we have been transported into an area of great danger and given instant an understanding of the political situation and the threat to life that exists in that environment.

"Sometimes it's easy to forget the person bringing that news to you is in that environment, as is the cameraman and other support staff ... at great risk to themselves".

He said the decision over funding of the IPDC is made by the Department for International Development, but said "we may revisit this decision as a government in due course".

He said MPs should be assured the government is "providing assistance for journalists working in difficult environments".

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