New publication: Toolkit on the Safety of Journalists for the Personnel of the Diplomatic Missions

The Toolkit’s key objective is to provide guidance on the safety of journalists and media actors to diplomatic personnel who might come into contact with journalists in distress.

In creating the toolkit WG discussed with diplomats and journalists about what information would be most helpful in their work. The results include information on how to respond in a careful and sensitive way to journalists’ needs in moments of crisis and what different legal instruments are available to the individual journalist and diplomatic personnel.

The toolkit will also help to promote a common approach by all embassies that provides more awareness and systemic support for protection of civilians. As local contexts and needs of individual journalists vary, the Toolkit – while providing a common approach – should not be treated as one-size-fits-all guidance, but rather as a toolbox that provides various options and solutions from which diplomatic personnel can choose when developing an approach tailored to local context and needs.

The toolkit will help diplomats create a safer environment for journalists and, in turn, protect freedom of speech and our democratic institutions.