10.10. adopt a gender-specific approach to counter gender-based violence, which should be regarded as an aggravating circumstance in crimes; introduce specific protective measures against harassment and threats to women journalists, especially online, and ensure that the criminal justice system is well equipped to investigate all cases of sexist violence and prosecute all those responsible;

10.11. implement adequate measures to protect journalists during public demonstrations and other public events, where they are most at risk, including awareness raising and tailored training programmes for police forces.

11. While there are serious threats to media freedom and the safety of journalists in most of our countries, the alerts on the Council of Europe Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and reports of media freedom watchdogs show that these problems are more acute in some member States. The Assembly is concerned, in particular, by the high level of harassment targeting journalists in Azerbaijan, the expanding phenomenon of media capture in Hungary, Poland and Serbia, and the alarming number of journalists detained in Türkiye. The Assembly urges these countries to engage in the Campaign of the Council of Europe for the Safety of Journalists and to implement, within this framework, adequate measures to remedy these issues.

12. The Assembly recalls its Resolution 2317 (2020) of 28 January 2020 entitled "Threats to media freedom and journalists' security in Europe" and reiterates its call for the prompt release of Julian Assange.

13. The Assembly is aware of the difficult situation faced by the media and journalists in Ukraine who suffer from attacks and destruction of infrastructure, and urges member States to provide targeted support to Ukrainian media and assistance to journalists from Ukraine, but also to exiled journalists from the Russian Federation and Belarus, in their work.

14. The Assembly calls on all member States to engage with the partners of the Council of Europe Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and to establish effective response mechanisms to the alerts, followed by actions and measures intended to redress violations of media freedom and avoid their repetition in the future. A constructive approach can be taken through dialogue between representatives of the member States and partner organisations of the platform, as was the case in 2022 in Albania, Hungary and Kosovo*.2

15. Finally, the Assembly reiterates its full and strong commitment to the enforcement of Council of Europe standards concerning the right to freedom of expression, media freedom and the safety of journalists. It considers that the Campaign of the Council of Europe for the safety of journalists is a unique opportunity to raise awareness amongst parliamentarians and strengthen the role of parliaments in upholding media freedom. The Assembly would like a significant parliamentary and interparliamentary dimension to feature in this campaign. Therefore, it strongly encourages national parliaments to play an active role and in particular to foster the required legislative reforms and take initiatives to raise public awareness of the need to safeguard media freedom and the safety of journalists. The Assembly is ready to contribute directly to the success of the campaign and resolves to stay closely involved in the process.

2. *All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.

28 DE FEVEREIRO DE 2024 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

63