UK, Canadian Foreign Ministers Announce Launch Of International Media Freedom Coalition

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published July 13, 2019 | 08:14 PM

UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland announced on Saturday the launch of international Media Freedom Coalition to address attacks against journalists and bring them to the attention of a wider public, the UK government said in a press release

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th July, 2019) UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland announced on Saturday the launch of international Media Freedom Coalition to address attacks against journalists and bring them to the attention of a wider public, the UK government said in a press release.

The statement comes following the Global Conference for Media Freedom, which took place in London earlier this week and was co-hosted by Hunt and Freeland.

"The Coalition will be formed by governments who sign up to a Pledge that commits them to speak out and take action together when media freedom is at risk, and to champion the cause around the world," the press release read, adding that the list of governments participating in the coalition is expected to be announced in September at the UN General Assembly.

The Global Conference for Media Freedom will be held annually, with Canada hosting the next conference in 2020.

"I am delighted that governments are committing to firm action and to working together as an international community to create a safer environment for journalism across the globe. By shining a light on attacks against journalists, the new Coalition will aim to change political calculations and increase the costs to those who abuse media freedom," Hunt said as quoted in the statement.

The conference for media freedom gathered together global leaders, media professionals, journalists, civil society and academia. However, the UK Foreign Office barred the Russian RT broadcaster and Sputnik news agency from participating in the conference over their "active role in spreading disinformation."

The Committee to Protect Journalists said the move was a counterproductive decision that might only lead to greater curbs on the media.