The President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, addressed participants today at the opening session of the conference Youth Facing Disinformation: Why Journalists Matter, organised under Monaco’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers as part of the Council of Europe’s campaign for the safety of journalists, Journalists Matter.

In his speech, the President highlighted that, through its case-law, the Court protects judges, NGOs, lawyers, whistleblowers and journalists. “The Court protects not only individual rights but also, more broadly, the rule of law, pluralism and the proper functioning of a democratic society,” the President said.

“By making ourselves accessible to everyone, we will be able to combat disinformation, address challenges to the rule of law, and counter attempts to undermine our European system for the protection of human rights, established 76 years ago,” he noted.

The two-day conference brings together young people, journalists, social media actors, media experts, and institutional representatives to discuss the challenges posed by disinformation and the vital role of journalism in democracy.

• Speech by President Mattias Guyomar (in French only)