A69: Serious obstruction of press freedom denounced by the UN

A69: Serious obstruction of press freedom denounced by the United Nations- Column

The information mission carried out by journalists is a precious and necessary asset in a democracy. As such, Michel Forst, reported to the United Nations, requested on February 29 to facilitate the work of the press on the site occupied by opponents of the A69 highway project.

At the end of his visit, in Saix, in the Tarn, the United Nations rapporteur pointed out several human rights violations. Prohibition of food supplies, obstacles to access to drinking water, deliberate sleep deprivation of activists by members of law enforcement. And this, far from the eyes of journalists, not allowed to go on this nerve point of the protest.

“During my visit, I noticed that the press and members of the Toulouse Observatory of Police Practices were kept at a significant distance from the site of the “Crem’Arbre”, in an area with extremely limited visibility.” He denounced in his statement of end of mission.

The UN calls on the French authorities to facilitate the work of the press and observers, in accordance with France’s international obligations. And this, “without disproportionate restriction, including by strictly, clearly and in the most limited way possible delimiting any area where they are not allowed access during judicial police operations.”

The findings of the United Nations Special Rapporteur had already been reported by some teams of French journalists, such as those of France3 Occitanie who suffer significant obstacles to their work: vans parked in front of the cameras, journalists filmed by law enforcement, press cards photographed, intimidation. Practices already encountered 9 years ago in the north of the Tarn on the Zad de Sivens.

“For more than a year now, journalists in France 3 have been intimidated by the gendarmerie on all issues related to the A69. For 15 days, these pressures have been continuous and are accentuated with a barrier to traffic, various and varied blackmail. The prefecture of Tarn alerted several times has not solved the problem in a sustainable way, we must daily beg for authorizations to exercise our profession.” denounces David Bobin, journalist France3 Tarn.

On the ZAD de la Crem’Arbre, and along the A69 route, press freedom is not guaranteed

It is one of the fundamental principles of democratic systems that is based on freedom of opinion and freedom of expression. This situation is therefore contrary to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As the hearings of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the construction of the A69 have begun, this obstruction of press freedom is of grave concern.

It is one of the fundamental principles of democratic systems that is based on freedom of opinion and freedom of expression. This situation is therefore contrary to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As the hearings of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the construction of the A69 have begun, this obstruction of press freedom is of grave concern.

For a healthy and informed democratic debate, it is essential that journalistic work. Journalists can shed light on the interests at stake, the damage caused to the environment and the social and economic consequences of this highway project. As pointed out in point 7 of the Charter for Journalism Worthy of the Ecological Emergency, “Certain economic and political interests are actively working to construct statements that mislead the understanding of the subjects and delay the action necessary to face the upheavals underway.”

Therefore, we, the journalists who signed this text, ask the authorities to let us freely exercise our mission to inform around the A69 motorway.

ERA ENVIRONNEMENT is a signatory of the Charter for journalism that meets the ecological emergency