In the Declaration, Member States signed a commitment to “provide a safe and appropriate environment for journalists” and to “investigate, prosecute and punish threats and acts of violence” against to journalists. Marking the first session of UNGASS working in the field of prevention and combating corruption, the Declaration called for effective international cooperation and stronger preventive measures to protect reporting and denouncing parties. and fight against corruption. This statement highlights the role of law enforcement officials, prosecutors and the judiciary as key actors in anti-corruption law enforcement, promoting transparency and the rule of law. The declaration was welcomed by the G7 Ministers and the High Representative of the European Union, who issued a joint statement reaffirming the important role of civil society and the free media in combating corruption. . The G7 affirmed that it will “protect and promote the right of access to information for all citizens, including civil society organisations, media and journalists”. UNESCO contributed to a side event about the importance of protecting journalists and strengthening the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a watchdog monitoring Indicator 16.10.2, SDG 16 on ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms, UNESCO has emphasized protecting and promoting the regulated press. investigation as an important part of the fight against corruption. “Investigative journalism and the press in general play an important role in bringing allegations and cases of corruption to light. Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure a safe and free environment. for journalists to assist it in uncovering corruption, money laundering to other organized crime.” – Mr. Guilherme Canela, Head of UNESCO’s Division of Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists UNESCO’s designation as a watchdog for SDG Target 16.10.2 has provided a key impetus for the organization to step up efforts to promote public access to information. Based on the monitoring results of SDG 16.10.2, UNESCO plays an important role in strengthening the United Nations’ support for the development of policies and laws on access to information, to protect the right to equal participation. equality as well as providing tools for civil society and the media, informing citizens, enhancing transparency of procurement, budgeting and many other areas of public life. In just four years, UNESCO has assisted 14 countries in passing Access to Information legislation. As a result, the public is informed to participate actively in public debates with decision-makers, including in the development of public policy and legislation. “Access to information allows citizens to obtain information held by public authorities, including the right to request and receive information, and the government’s obligation to proactively disclose information.” – Mr. Jaco du Toit, Head of UNESCO’s Global Access to Information Department Thông The Declaration of the 14th United Nations General Assembly on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice recognized the uniqueness of the threats facing journalists and called for global cooperation to change the situation. new to end immunity for crimes against journalists. To that effect, since 2013, UNESCO and its partners have trained more than 18,000 judicial authorities and 8,500 security forces on international and regional standards for freedom of expression, to promote promote a freer and safer environment for journalists and media workers around the world. Quynh Hoa According to UNESCO

Facebook’s WhatsApp messaging app icon. Photo: AFP/VNA MEITy’s new rules require major social media platforms like WhatsApp to “trace” the origin of specific messages sent on the messaging service. However, according to a WhatsApp spokesperson, asking messaging apps to trace chats is equivalent to asking WhatsApp to track every single message sent on the app. This would break end-to-end encryption and fundamentally compromise user privacy. The spokesperson stressed that along with civil society and experts around the world, WhatsApp has always opposed requests to violate user privacy, but the application is owned by this social network Facebook. We will also continue to work with the Government of India to find practical solutions to keep everyone safe, including responding to valid legal requests for the information WhatsApp makes available. Earlier, the press reported that social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Google and Twitter could face legal action in India if they do not comply with a new regulation by the government to strengthen control. control of intermediary platforms, effective May 26. Failure to comply with the above provisions will result in the social media networks being stripped of their intermediary platform status and immunity and will face criminal action under Indian law. The above regulations also require social media companies to appoint a resident grievance officer, regulatory compliance officer and basic contact person, as well as to disclose detailed information about the company. details of these people on their website, along with physical contact addresses. The regulation also requires traceability of the originator of the message and includes a provision for voluntary verification as a way to establish user identity.