France: CFWIJ joins French journalists and media outlets protesting the new comprehensive security bill.

November 18, 2020, Paris, France—Journalists and media outlets are protesting the new bill proposed by Macron’s government that bans publishing police images. The Coalition For Women In Journalism joins the concerned journalists and media outlets in condemning this bill. 

French journalists are protesting the new bill proposed by the government to ban publishing police images. The new bill, presented as a comprehensive security law, aims at giving more autonomy to local police —potentially arming more of them— and expanding the use of surveillance drones in high-crime areas.

The new proposed bill will make publishing images of a police officer’s face a crime, according to article 24 titled the “war of images”. It also stipulates that publication on social media or elsewhere, with the intent of undermining an officer's physical or psychological integrity, could be punished by a year in prison or fines of up to 45,000 euros ($53,000).

According to Reporters Sans Frontiers, this controversial bill violates press freedom principles and the public’s right to be informed. RSF also called upon the French deputies to strike this bill as it represents a clear threat to press freedom. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism conveys its concern and condemnation of the proposed bill, asserting that it is a clear violation of press freedom and freedom of expression principles. Adding restrictions to journalists’ coverage and threatening imprisonment for publishing any material is an oppressive practice that must be refuted. CFWIJ calls upon French deputies and the government to retract this bill and refrain from these practices in order to comply with the international standards and commitments to press freedom.