Respected EB and Esteemed Delegates
Political interference or threat refers to the actions taken by political actors or government
officials to influence, manipulate, or control the operations and Content of media outlets. In
today’s time, governments use several methods to suppress the voices of those who criticize
the actions of governments.
For example, by being involved in censorship activities and content control, the Chinese
government employs extensive internet censorship known as the Great Firewall, which
blocks access to many foreign news websites and social media platforms. Additionally,
governments are found engaged in acts such as intimidation and harassment of journalists; for
example, in the Middle Eastern country Saudi Arabia, the murder of journalist Jamal
Khashoggi in 2018 is a high-profile example of extreme measures taken against the critics of
the government.
Having looked at some instances of governments posing political threats to editorial
independence, the question arises as to why governments are often engaged in it and, most
importantly, what the solutions are.
Amongst many reasons, governments often use media control to propagate state ideologies
and ensure that cultural and societal values align with those promoted by the government.
The Content that contradicts the official ideology, including religious views, cultural
practices, and political beliefs, is often censored to maintain ideological purity and social
cohesion.
Now, considering and analyzing the significant reasons behind this issue, the delegate of
India would like to propose some solutions to mitigate this challenge.
The UN General Assembly Resolution 59(I) (1946) talks about Freedom of Information,
emphasizing the importance of freedom of information as a fundamental human right and a
cornerstone of democracy and the UN General Assembly Resolution 53/144 (1998)
recognizes the right of individuals and groups to promote and protect human rights and
fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and information, therefore initiatives
such as
Adoption of International Treaties and Convention can Encourage countries to ratify and
implement international treaties that protect freedom of expression, such as the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and
The Diplomatic Pressure and Sanctions implemented against individuals and entities
responsible for media censorship and attacks on journalists are some ways to mitigate this
challenge.
