The Swiss section of Reporters without Borders and the syndicom trade union urged the government to demand the appointment of a special United Nations rapporteur on the safety of journalists.
Journalists’ ability to work free from violence, intimidation and harassment is essential to enable democratic, free and participative societies, but the resources were not sufficient said in a statementExternal link marking World Press Freedom Day on Monday.
More than 1,050 journalists were killed in the field last year and the perpetrators got away with the crime unpunished in nearly 90% of the cases, the non-governmental organisation said.
The statement added that journalists, also in Switzerland, were increasingly targeted by hate campaigns on social media.
Several Swiss journalism groups have raised the alarm bells about attacks on journalists by participants in demonstrations against the government’s Covid restrictions, but also by police hampering the work of journalists at May 1 and women’s marches.
The reasons for the perceived deterioration include physical attacks by demonstrators against journalists, police interference and legal barriers against journalistic research, according to Reporters without BordersExternal link.
Norway, Finland and Denmark are at the top of the list of 132 countries.
Swiss study: insects mainly on the move at midday and dusk
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A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
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The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s Kobel is first Swiss goalie in Champions League final
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Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
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Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
TradeXBank to resume full operations after Sberbank Switzerland taken off sanctions list
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TradeXBank, the former Swiss branch of Russia’s Sberbank, will be able to resume its dollar-denominated activities from the second half of this year.
Geneva decides not to remove controversial memorials
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The city of Geneva has presented an action plan regarding a series of controversial local statues and monuments of historical figures linked to racism, colonialism or slavery.
University of Lausanne calls for end to pro-Palestine sit-in
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The pro-Palestinian occupation continues at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). On Monday evening, a group of students refused to agree to the deadline set by the rectorate.
Ukraine peace conference should include Russia, says Chinese ambassador
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China supports a peace conference on the Ukraine war that would see equal participation of all parties, says Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui.
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Swiss press free but struggling to survive, report finds
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Switzerland stays in the top 10 nations for press freedom while the global situation continues to be problematic, Reporters without Borders finds.
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The Swiss government should get “more clearly and actively” involved in press freedom issues, four Swiss journalism organisations have said.
Press freedom becomes a test case for Swiss foreign policy
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As Switzerland and other countries back multilateral efforts to bolster a free press, NGOs are watching to see if concrete actions will follow.
Transparency International: in fight against corruption, Switzerland can do better
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Switzerland has one of the lowest levels of perceived corruption in the public sector but Transparency International says it still has work to do.
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