26 June 2024

Australian National Statement

Australia thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report.

We are deeply concerned by your findings that journalists are increasingly targets of transnational repression, including violence and intimidation, pervasive surveillance, and cyberattacks. We are also concerned that journalists who report on human rights violations and women journalists are especially vulnerable.

It is unacceptable for any government to target people including beyond their borders to deter them from exercising their right to freedom of expression, or to retaliate against family members to silence critical voices.

Many journalists are forced to flee from persecution, as some countries increasingly attack free and independent media. We condemn the use of stigmatising labels like ‘foreign agent’, which are used to discredit the work of journalists.

A free, independent and diverse media is essential to democracy, accountability, good governance and the protection of human rights. Journalists, including those in exile, are vital sources of accurate information on repressive regimes, often at great personal cost.

Digital technology plays a significant enabling role for exiled journalists; however, it also presents challenges and threats that digital and media companies are failing to address. How can States work with social media platforms to respond to digital threats against journalists in exile?