Doha: The Arab League praised the sacrifices of journalists in conveying the truth under hazardous conditions amid tensions and devastating conflicts, particularly in the Middle East.
According to Qatar News Agency, in a statement marking World Press Freedom Day, observed annually on May 3, Assistant Secretary General and Supervisor of the Media and Communication Sector at the Arab League, Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, said the world commemorates the 2026 edition under the theme "Shaping a Future at Peace." The theme highlights the role of media in promoting a culture of peace in a highly volatile geopolitical context marked by tensions and wars, especially in the Middle East, where civilians, including journalists working to report the truth, are being killed.
Khattabi stressed the need of ensuring a pluralistic, independent, and credible media environment that contributes to informing public opinion, protecting rights and freedoms, and combating violence and hate speech. He also commended recent updates to the Arab Media Code of Honour aimed at reinforcing pluralism, freedom of opinion, and prohibiting the dissemination of misleading rumours, particularly during electoral processes.
He further noted that social media platforms, digital networks, and artificial intelligence applications, while contributing to the democratisation of communication rights, improving media performance, and encouraging innovation, also raise serious concerns due to the spread of online violence, discriminatory narratives, and false content. He emphasised the need to implement the Arab Ministers of Information strategy on integrating media literacy into educational curricula across Arab states.
Khattabi added that World Press Freedom Day, established by a United Nations General Assembly resolution in 1993 on the initiative of UNESCO, serves as an opportunity to highlight the contributions of journalists worldwide and to affirm the need to facilitate their work in support of development and democratic practice. This is in line with international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, stressing that freedom of opinion is a fundamental right governed only by legal, ethical, and vital national considerations.