By- Radio ML
Today, Wednesday, the National Union of Tunisian Journalists published a guideline for journalists on media coverage of trials, to be used in following up on what is known as the 'Conspiracy against State Security' case and other trials, balancing between freedom of the press and the right to access information on one hand, and protecting legal boundaries and ethical values on the other hand. The Journalists' Syndicate discussed in this guideline the best principles on which the journalism profession is based, as stated in the journalistic charter and the International Federation of Journalists' Declaration of Principles on the Conduct of Journalists. Among the most prominent of these principles are the journalist's commitment to work on informing the public with the truth within the framework of their right to access information, defending freedom of the press, and rejecting tasks that do not conform to the profession's standards and ethics. The Syndicate also reminded journalists that journalism work in radio and television institutions is subject to the requirements of Decree 116 and the obligations related to media content mentioned in the conditions in Articles 23 and 25. The guideline included six principles, the first of which is "Respecting the Presumption of Innocence," requiring journalists to treat accused individuals as innocent until proven guilty by established court rulings, as stated in Article 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 and Article 35 of the 2022 Constitution. The second principle emphasized "Accuracy and Verification of Information," which involves publishing verified information from documented sources and subjecting all information to the strict methodology of journalism for verification, while ensuring journalists do not publish rumors about the accused or the events under trial and promote them as news. The third principle is "Distinguishing between Facts and Opinions," affirming journalists' freedom to comment on the facts and events related to judicial trials, with a necessity to distinguish opinions from facts, as mixing them represents manipulation of news material and an infringement on citizens' rights to access objective facts. The fourth principle confirmed the "Right to Seek Information and Comment on Events while Respecting Judicial Procedures," ensuring journalists inform citizens without affecting the judicial process, without playing judges' roles, conducting media trials, or issuing judgments on the accused. The fifth principle stressed the need for "Balance and Impartiality," by presenting events, facts, and opinions in a balanced manner and exposing all viewpoints and ideas. The sixth principle emphasized the "Right to Privacy," ensuring journalists avoid infringing on individuals' privacy and dignity, and institutionalizing within their editorial boards the principle of balance between the public's right to knowledge and truth and individuals' right to privacy. The Journalists' Syndicate concluded the guideline by highlighting the important role of journalism in informing the public about judicial trials, which necessitates judicial and public authorities ensuring journalists' right to access all legally available information, guaranteeing objective and professional news coverage, and ensuring the public's right to access the truth, especially regarding matters of public concern, enhancing confidence in the judicial system.