President of European Parliament Backs Call to Establish Media Victims Support Committee

The outgoing President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pötteringyesterday gave his backing to an initiative of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Vintu Foundation for Excellence in Education and Journalism to facilitate the creation of an international media victims support committee.

 

President Pöttering made the remarks during a meeting with the delegation led by the IFJ Deputy General Secretary, Paco Audije and Communications Officer Ernest Sagaga, who briefed him on the work of the IFJ on safety of journalists and, in particular, on the initiative to launch an international committee to provide assistance to families of journalists who are victims of violence in the course of duty.

 

The initiative aims to facilitate a group representing families of media victims of violence who will lobby for justice and humanitarian assistance in cases where the victims’ families need long term legal, moral and material support.

The Vintu Foundation for Excellence in Education and Journalism , which is cooperating with the IFJ on this project, was represented by Cristian Unteanu .

 

“You have my full sympathy for the work you do for media,’ said Pöttering who also expressed his concern for the situation of journalists in Iran at present.

 

The IFJ and the Vintu delegation also requested support from the Presidency of the European Parliament for the launch of the initiative early next year. President Pöttering said that the request would be passed on to the next Presidency of the European Parliament due to be voted mid July for follow up.

 

Last week, the IFJ organised a meeting of representatives of families of journalists who lost their lives during the course of their work to discuss the establishment of a support network which would provide assistance to families of media victims of violence. The meeting brought together relatives of journalists from Africa, Europe and the Asia Pacific regions.  


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The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 123 countries worldwide