Freedom of the press debate comes to Belfast

Press freedom in the United Kingdom and Ireland is to be the focus of a major one-day conference at Queen’s University this coming Saturday.

Entitled 'Journalism Under Threat', the event has been organised by the National Union of Journalists Ethics Council in association with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and Queen’s University’s Human Rights Centre.

Speakers will include a line-up of leading figures from journalism and the law, and among the issues to be examined will be conflict between journalists and the criminal justice system, journalism in a human rights context, and the political landscape in which journalists work. A number of journalists will also speak from personal experience which is to be opened by Jeremy Dear, General Secretary of the NUJ.

Dr Rory O’Connell, Acting Director of Queen’s Human Rights Centre, said: “This conference will examine a range of matters which go to the very heart of the principle of freedom of the press. It is particularly timely in the current social and political climate, when intensive journalistic scrutiny of the Executive, and others acting in the public sphere, is needed more than ever.”

The event will take place in the Canada Room, Queen’s University on Saturday 22 November, from 10.30am to 5pm. Admission costs £10 (£5 concessionary rate).

(MB)