One in three media lawyers unable to defend journalists, UNESCO survey finds

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published last month |  JP Global Monitoring

A UNESCO survey shows one in three media lawyers face obstacles like threats and limited resources, weakening legal protection for journalists and undermining press freedom globally.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — About one in three media lawyers worldwide face significant obstacles in defending journalists, a new UNESCO survey has found. The global assessment, conducted among legal professionals who work on press freedom cases, identified threats, limited resources, and a lack of specialization as key barriers preventing effective legal support.

The report notes that even in countries with legal frameworks designed to protect journalists, the shortage of adequately resourced and trained lawyers weakens these protections. For independent and investigative reporters, this gap in legal defense leaves them more vulnerable to harassment, intimidation, and attacks.

UNESCO emphasized the need for stronger institutional support to ensure that journalists can perform their work without fear of legal obstacles or personal risk. The findings highlight that press freedom depends not only on laws but also on the capacity of legal systems to enforce them.

The survey also found that many media lawyers operate under personal and professional threats, including intimidation, surveillance, and even physical danger. These pressures often discourage lawyers from taking on sensitive cases, further eroding the legal safety net for journalists.

Experts say that providing specialized training, expanding resources for legal aid, and creating networks of support for media lawyers are crucial steps to safeguarding press freedom globally. Without such measures, attacks on journalists could go unchecked, undermining democracy and accountability.

The UNESCO report calls on governments, international organizations, and media associations to invest in strengthening legal infrastructure and protection mechanisms for journalists. It warns that a lack of effective legal defense not only affects individual reporters but also threatens the broader principles of free and independent media.

Photo: Representational AI-generated image of a media lawyer reviewing press freedom cases.