Gov’t salutes journalists on press day

AMMAN — Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani on Tuesday expressed his best wishes to journalists on the World Press Freedom Day, marked on May 3.

In a letter he sent to members of the Jordan Press Association (JPA) and its president, Tareq Momani, Momani extended his congratulations to media professionals and expressed the government’s commitment to carrying out His Majesty King Abdullah’s directives to arrive at a national media built on freedom and accountability in conformity with the reform process.

This year’s World Press Freedom Day is celebrated under the theme: “Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms - This Is Your Right”. 

World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference, according to the UN website.

On the occasion, UNESCO underscored the importance of the right of expression and access to information, highlighting the link between them and achieving sustainable development. 

The link between press freedom and sustainable development is made for the first time this year, following the adoption in late 2015 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, which recognise the need to “ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms”, according to the UNESCO website. 

Former information minister, Nabil Sharif, said that as a result of internal conflicts and military struggles in several Arab countries, press freedom is usually among the first things that are sacrificed. 

Under such circumstances, the overall picture of press freedom tends to be more negative than positive, especially in terms of access to information, he said, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.  

On the occasion, the JPA president called on journalists to abide by the code of ethics of the profession, refrain from slander and character assassination and focus on objective criticism and looking for the truth.