COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS

Recommendation Rec(2003)13
of the Committee of Ministers to member states
on the provision of information through the media
in relation to criminal proceedings

(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 10 July 2003
at the 848th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 15.b of the Statute of the Council of Europe,

Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve greater unity between its members for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage;

Recalling the commitment of the member states to the fundamental right to freedom of expression and information as guaranteed by Article 10 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (hereinafter “the Convention”), which constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society and one of the basic conditions for its progress and for the development of every individual;

Recalling that the media have the right to inform the public due to the right of the public to receive information, including information on matters of public concern, under Article 10 of the Convention, and that they have a professional duty to do so;

Recalling that the rights to presumption of innocence, to a fair trial and to respect for private and family life under Articles 6 and 8 of the Convention constitute fundamental requirements which must be respected in any democratic society;

Stressing the importance of media reporting in informing the public on criminal proceedings, making the deterrent function of criminal law visible as well as in ensuring public scrutiny of the functioning of the criminal justice system;

Considering the possibly conflicting interests protected by Articles 6, 8 and 10 of the Convention and the necessity to balance these rights in view of the facts of every individual case, with due regard to the supervisory role of the European Court of Human Rights in ensuring the observance of the commitments under the Convention;

Recalling, furthermore, the right of the media and journalists to create professional associations, as guaranteed by the right to freedom of association under Article 11 of the Convention, which is a basis for self-regulation in the media field;

Aware of the many initiatives taken by the media and journalists in Europe to promote the responsible exercise of journalism, either through self-regulation or in co-operation with the state through co-regulatory frameworks;

Desirous to enhance an informed debate on the protection of the rights and interests at stake in the context of media reporting relating to criminal proceedings, and to foster good practice throughout Europe while ensuring access of the media to criminal proceedings;

Recalling its Resolution (74) 26 on the right of reply – position of the individual in relation to the press, its Recommendation No. R (85) 11 on the position of the victim in the framework of criminal law and procedure, its Recommendation No. R (97) 13 concerning the intimidation of witnesses and the rights of the defence, and its Recommendation No. R (97) 21 on the media and the promotion of a culture of tolerance;

Stressing the importance of protecting journalists' sources of information in the context of criminal proceedings, in accordance with its Recommendation No. R (2000) 7 on the right of journalists not to disclose their sources of information;

Bearing in mind Resolution No. 2 on journalistic freedoms and human rights adopted at the 4th European Ministerial Conference on Mass Media Policy (Prague, December 1994) as well as the Declaration on a media policy for tomorrow adopted at the 6th European Ministerial Conference on Mass Media Policy (Cracow, June 2000);

Recalling that this recommendation does not intend to limit the standards already in force in member states which aim to protect freedom of expression,

Recommends, while acknowledging the diversity of national legal systems concerning criminal procedure, that the governments of member states:

1. take or reinforce, as the case may be, all measures which they consider necessary with a view to the implementation of the principles appended to this recommendation, within the limits of their respective constitutional provisions,

2. disseminate widely this recommendation and its appended principles, where appropriate accompanied by a translation, and

3. bring them in particular to the attention of judicial authorities and police services as well as to make them available to representative organisations of lawyers and media professionals.

Appendix to Recommendation Rec(2003)13

Principles concerning the provision of information through the media
in relation to criminal proceedings

Principle 1 - Information of the public via the media

The public must be able to receive information about the activities of judicial authorities and police services through the media. Therefore, journalists must be able to freely report and comment on the functioning of the criminal justice system, subject only to the limitations provided for under the following principles.

Principle 2 - Presumption of innocence

Respect for the principle of the presumption of innocence is an integral part of the right to a fair trial. Accordingly, opinions and information relating to on-going criminal proceedings should only be communicated or disseminated through the media where this does not prejudice the presumption of innocence of the suspect or accused.

Principle 3 - Accuracy of information

Judicial authorities and police services should provide to the media only verified information or information which is based on reasonable assumptions. In the latter case, this should be clearly indicated to the media.

Principle 4 - Access to information

When journalists have lawfully obtained information in the context of on-going criminal proceedings from judicial authorities or police services, those authorities and services should make available such information, without discrimination, to all journalists who make or have made the same request.

Principle 5 - Ways of providing information to the media

When judicial authorities and police services themselves have decided to provide information to the media in the context of on-going criminal proceedings, such information should be provided on a non-discriminatory basis and, wherever possible, through press releases, press conferences by authorised officers or similar authorised means.

Principle 6 - Regular information during criminal proceedings

In the context of criminal proceedings of public interest or other criminal proceedings which have gained the particular attention of the public, judicial authorities and police services should inform the media about their essential acts, so long as this does not prejudice the secrecy of investigations and police inquiries or delay or impede the outcome of the proceedings. In cases of criminal proceedings which continue for a long period, this information should be provided regularly.

Principle 7 - Prohibition of the exploitation of information

Judicial authorities and police services should not exploit information about on-going criminal proceedings for commercial purposes or purposes other than those relevant to the enforcement of the law.

Principle 8 - Protection of privacy in the context of on-going criminal proceedings

The provision of information about suspects, accused or convicted persons or other parties to criminal proceedings should respect their right to protection of privacy in accordance with Article 8 of the Convention. Particular protection should be given to parties who are minors or other vulnerable persons, as well as to victims, to witnesses and to the families of suspects, accused and convicted. In all cases, particular consideration should be given to the harmful effect which the disclosure of information enabling their identification may have on the persons referred to in this Principle.

Principle 9 - Right of correction or right of reply

Without prejudice to the availability of other remedies, everyone who has been the subject of incorrect or defamatory media reports in the context of criminal proceedings should have a right of correction or reply, as the case may be, against the media concerned. A right of correction should also be available with respect to press releases containing incorrect information which have been issued by judicial authorities or police services.

Principle 10 - Prevention of prejudicial influence

In the context of criminal proceedings, particularly those involving juries or lay judges, judicial authorities and police services should abstain from publicly providing information which bears a risk of substantial prejudice to the fairness of the proceedings.

Principle 11 - Prejudicial pre-trial publicity

Where the accused can show that the provision of information is highly likely to result, or has resulted, in a breach of his or her right to a fair trial, he or she should have an effective legal remedy.

Principle 12 - Admission of journalists

Journalists should be admitted to public court hearings and public pronouncements of judgements without discrimination and without prior accreditation requirements. They should not be excluded from court hearings, unless and as far as the public is excluded in accordance with Article 6 of the Convention.

Principle 13 - Access of journalists to courtrooms

The competent authorities should, unless it is clearly impracticable, provide in courtrooms a number of seats for journalists which is sufficient in accordance with the demand, without excluding the presence of the public as such.

Principle 14 - live reporting and recordings in court rooms

Live reporting or recordings by the media in court rooms should not be possible unless and as far as expressly permitted by law or the competent judicial authorities. Such reporting should be authorised only where it does not bear a serious risk of undue influence on victims, witnesses, parties to criminal proceedings, juries or judges.

Principle 15 - Support for media reporting

Announcements of scheduled hearings, indictments or charges and other information of relevance to legal reporting should be made available to journalists upon simple request by the competent authorities in due time, unless impracticable. Journalists should be allowed, on a non-discriminatory basis, to make or receive copies of publicly pronounced judgments. They should have the possibility to disseminate or communicate these judgments to the public.

Principle 16 - Protection of witnesses

The identity of witnesses should not be disclosed, unless a witness has given his or her prior consent, the identification of a witness is of public concern, or the testimony has already been given in public. The identity of witnesses should never be disclosed where this endangers their lives or security. Due respect shall be paid to protection programmes for witnesses, especially in criminal proceedings against organised crime or crime within the family.

Principle 17 - Media reporting on the enforcement of court sentences

Journalists should be permitted to have contacts with persons serving court sentences in prisons, as far as this does not prejudice the fair administration of justice, the rights of prisoners and prison officers or the security of a prison.

Principle 18 - Media reporting after the end of court sentences

In order not to prejudice the re-integration into society of persons who have served court sentences, the right to protection of privacy under Article 8 of the Convention should include the right to protect the identity of these persons in connection with their prior offence after the end of their court sentences, unless they have expressly consented to the disclosure of their identity or they and their prior offence are of public concern again or have become of public concern again.