Spain: unions urge freedom of information amid allegations of manipulation

Journalists in Spain have complained of being put under undue pressure and an attack on their professionalism in the wake of events surrounding the independence referendum in Catalonia.

© Lluis Gene / AFP Photo

Journalists in Spain have complained of being put under undue pressure and an attack on their professionalism in the wake of events surrounding the independence referendum in Catalonia. Agrupacion de Periodistas de CCOO, member of the IFJ’s Spanish affiliates, have called for their professional rights to report freely and fairly to be upheld and for a guarantee of freedom of information and expression after unions received widespread allegations of lack of balance and manipulation of information. They claim such attacks led to journalists being threatened and insulted. Alongside physical attacks on journalists, union members have complained of attacks on their right to report and a threat to their professional freedom arising from management decisions and legal actions being taken against broadcasters. CC-OO union members at RTVE Catalunya denounced the violation of their right to inform in a strongly worded statement. IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “We stand in solidarity with our unions in Spain in their battle to uphold their professional standards. Journalists must have the right to report freely and provide fair and balanced information to citizens. Without such a right freedom of expression is threatened and citizens are denied their right to be properly informed.” Read the full CC-OO statement here

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