Antonio Guterres to the Commission on Information and Democracy : « I thank you for helping to lead the way ».

 

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Reporters without Borders event on “Commission on Information and Democracy, in Paris:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Upholding the right to freedom of expression is one of the bedrocks of society and is crucial for advancing democracy, development and peace.  I therefore commend your initiative to establish a Commission on Information and Democracy.  It comes at a crucial time, when new means of communicating and disseminating information are transforming our world.

Time for Action

France will take over the presidency of the UN Security Council on December 1, 2013. As such, the president will be able to issue statements on the council’s behalf and set its agenda, which will give it considerable political influence. The French president and government should seize this opportunity

America’s Whistleblower Persecution Sullies the US Constitution

By Julian Assange and Christophe Deloire (The Guardian, 3 July 2013)

On 12 October 2012, the European Union won the Nobel Peace Prize for contributing to the « advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe ». The EU should show itself worthy of this honor and show its will to defend freedom of information, regardless of fears of political pressure from its so-called closest ally, the United States.

Now that Edward Snowden, the young American who revealed the global monitoring system known as Prism

It’s a Nice Place to Visit, But I Wouldn’t Want to Be a Reporter There

Op-Ed published in Foreign Policy, Mai 15, 2013 (co-signed with Joel Simon, Executive Director of the CPJ)

President Barack Obama has consistently lavished praise on Recep Tayyip Erdogan, describing the Turkish prime minister as an « outstanding partner and an outstanding friend » and lauding his « great leadership » in promoting democracy in the Middle East. Erdogan has even won plauditsfrom the U.S. president for his « courageous steps » toward normalizing Turkish-Armenian relations and toward integrating minorities into the democratic process.

But when Erdogan visits Washington on May 16, Obama needs to deliver a different message: Turkey’s failure to address its press freedom crisis is undermining the country strategic relationship with the United States and hindering its regional aspirations.