News item | 29-06-2022 | 08:10
Press freedom in the Netherlands is under pressure. Intimidation, violence and threats impede journalists in their work. That is why State Secretary Uslu (Culture and Media) and Minister Yesilgöz-Zegerius (Justice and Security) are taking additional measures to protect press freedom in the Netherlands. The ministers wrote this in a letter to the House of Representatives today.
State Secretary Uslu: “Press freedom and press security are essential for our democracy. Journalists are increasingly faced with threats, aggression and intimidation. That is unacceptable. From recent reports and conversations I have had with journalists, I conclude that this is a structural, social problem that is not easy to solve. That is why we are going to tackle the problem thoroughly with this plan.”
Minister Yesilgöz-Zegerius: “Within the free society we cannot tolerate that some people think they have to intimidate others by spreading their private information. At home, you and your family should be safe. As a journalist you must be able to do your work freely and unimpeded at all times. That is why we draw the line here and, for example, also lay down in the law with the doxing bill that we do not accept this. And whoever crosses that border deserves punishment.”
Recently, three reports on press freedom in the Netherlands were published: the annual World Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders, Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and the annual report for 2021 of the Institute of Human Rights. These reports show that, in addition to ongoing measures, action is needed in more areas to protect press freedom. That is why the ministers are expanding the measures: by making the Dutch aware of the importance of journalism and promoting social debate, by tackling online intimidation and by researching the problem and good examples in other countries.
Expansion measures
First of all, Uslu and Yësilgoz-Zegerius extend their support for the initiative PressSafe up to and including 2024. Journalists can go there for help with concrete incidents, but also for training to prevent threats. There is a similar initiative for freelance journalists: the Flexible Protection Package Freelancers, which runs until 2023. The ministers will discuss with the sector how this package will be followed up from 2024.
Secondly, Uslu will develop an approach together with the Media Literacy Network to make the Dutch aware of how media and journalism work, how journalism controls power and how a democracy cannot exist without a free, critical and independent press.
Thirdly, the government wants to ensure a properly functioning system to combat reports of online harassment of journalists. Uslu and State Secretary Van Huffelen of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) will enter into discussions with the Dutch Association of Journalists (NVJ), the Association of Editors in Chief, the police, the Public Prosecution Service and relevant social media platforms about which steps are needed for this.
Finally, the ministers have commissioned research into specific aspects and target groups of the problem, such as online intimidation, aggression against female journalists and against journalists with a non-Western background. Uslu also wants to gain insight through research into what countries that score high in terms of press safety and freedom of the press do well. These insights should lead to better policy.
Ongoing Policy
Uslu and Yësilgoz-Zegerius want to build on existing measures to promote press freedom and press security. In recent years, much has already been set in motion together with the sector, such as the initiative PressSafe†
Another important cabinet initiative to promote press freedom and press security is the bill by Minister Yesilgöz-Zegerius to ‘doxing‘, the sharing of someone’s personal data for the purpose of intimidating that person.