A/HRC/39/23 10. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights’ Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression conducts activities to protect and promote the right to freedom of thought and expression and promotes the adoption of legislative, judicial and administrative measures to enable the exercise of the right to freedom of thought and expression. 7 Examples include issuing statements relating to attacks against journalists. 8 In her report “Violence against journalists and media workers: inter-American standards and national practices on prevention, protection and prosecution of perpetrators”, the Special Rapporteur underlined measures States must take to comply with their obligation to protect the lives, physical integrity and freedom of expression of journalists, outlined States’ obligations to prevent violence, protect at-risk journalists and seriously investigate the crimes committed, and made recommendations to improve the circumstances for exercising the right to freedom of expression.9 11. The Representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) intervenes on media freedom and the safety of journalists. Statements and legal commentaries call on OSCE States to investigate attacks and address impunity.10 12. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Chair of which referred, in November 2017, to the, inter alia, continued harassment, arrest and arbitrary detention of human rights defenders and journalists as of extreme concern to the Commission,11 has created special mechanisms that can raise issues concerning the safety of journalists. These include the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and access to information,12 who, in April 2018,13 expressed concern regarding the alleged abduction and assault of a journalist in Mozambique and other cases. 14 The Chair of the African Union Commission has also made relevant statements.15 13. Awareness-raising, such as on World Press Freedom Day (3 May) and International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (2 November), draws attention to issues facing journalists. 14. In 2018, World Press Freedom Day saw the issuance of statements, including from the Secretary-General,16 the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, 17 the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea18 and the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights.19 In the 2018 joint declaration on media independence and diversity in the digital age, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and counterparts from the OSCE, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights emphasized the essential role of independent media in democratic societies and expressed concern about 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 4 See www.oas.org/en/iachr/expression/mandate. See press releases R95/18 (www.oas.org/en/iachr/expression/showarticle.asp?artID=1102&lID=1) and R76/18 (www.oas.org/en/iachr/expression/showarticle.asp?artID=1095&lID=1). See www.oas.org/en/iachr/expression/docs/reports/2014_04_22_violence_web.pdf, pp. 176–180. See also the annual report of the Special Rapporteur (www.oas.org/en/iachr/expression/docs/reports/annual/annualreport2016rele.pdf, pp. 528–532). See www.osce.org/fom/119497. See www.achpr.org/files/sessions/61st/statements/chair_openingstatement/opening_statement__hon_comm_pansy_tlakula.pdf. See www.achpr.org/mechanisms/freedom-of-expression. See www.achpr.org/press/2018/04/d396. See www.achpr.org/press/2014/06/d209 and www.achpr.org/press/2015/05/d257. See https://au.int/sites/default/files/newsevents/pressreleases/25783-pr-pr_036__release_of_al_jazeera_journalists_-_auc_chairperson_message_-_16_feb_2015.pdf. See http://webtv.un.org/watch/antónio-guterres-un-secretary-general-on-world-press-freedomday/5775247352001/?term=&lan=french. See www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23026&LangID=E. See www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23022&LangID=E. See www.coe.int/fr/web/commissioner/view/-/asset_publisher/ugj3i6qSEkhZ/content/europe-s-dutyto-protect-journalists?_101_INSTANCE_ugj3i6qSEkhZ_languageId=en_GB.