The Press Emblem Campaign, PEC, has called on all UN Member States to guarantee a safe and free environment for journalists who are working on the COVID-19 pandemic.
PEC also demands that journalists who are on the frontline are vaccinated.
PEC made the demands in a statement delivered at the 46th session of the Human Rights Council.
Raising concerns over the by the devastating impact of the pandemic on press freedom, PEC disclosed that, “at least 837 journalists died in one year due to the Covid-19.”
“The PEC is very concerned by the devastating impact of the pandemic on press freedom. Covid-19 had a triple negative effect on the media: on their business, with huge losses of revenues and jobs, on their capacity to inform freely, with numerous restrictions in several countries, and on their staff, with thousands of journalists contaminated and hundreds killed by the virus.
“As an organization aiming at strengthening the legal protection and the safety of journalists around the world, the PEC is appalled by the increasing verbal, online and physical attacks against journalists during the pandemic, threats, arbitrary detentions, restrictions on access as well as intimidations.
“Covid-19 has a disproportionate effect on the profession of journalism. The PEC has documented the death of at least 837 journalists in one year due to the coronavirus,” PEC revealed.
PEC thereafter demanded that financial aid be extended to the bereaved families of media staff killed by the virus.