World Press Freedom Day celebrates its 30th anniversary on May 3, 2023. This comes in light of the increasing stifling of media and journalists in Saudi Arabia, and the continuous restrictions on their role.
"Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights" is the theme raised by the United Nations this year, but the restrictions imposed by the Saudi government on it and their impact on fundamental rights in the country are quite apparent. While Saudi Arabia's traditional media outlets are still in the hands of the government alone, which prohibits private media outlets, censorship restrictions on journalists and writers have increased. According to the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, hundreds of writers, bloggers, and individuals who expressed their opinions are behind bars. In addition to the arrest, Saudi Arabia uses intimidation against journalists, as it has used weapons more than once against photographers and journalists. It has hidden the body of journalist Jamal Khashoggi since he was killed on October 2, 2018, inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey.
In addition, the Saudi Minister of Information stated that during the first quarter of 2023, the Saudi Audiovisual Media Authority monitored more than 4,000 media violations. These violations included violations of content intolerance, and media work without a license, among others. In light of the use of broad definitions of laws and violations, the figures announced by the minister show the extent of restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression.
International Day also represents a call for modern press freedom, as well as for independent, pluralistic and diverse media. This is a key to all other human rights. This call comes in light of the proliferation of independent media and the emergence of digital technologies that have allowed the free flow of information over the Internet. On the other hand, the Saudi government devised new means to pursue journalists, bloggers, and anyone who expresses his opinion through the use of accounts on social networking sites, which activists call electronic flies to track and threaten male and female activists, in addition to adapting laws, including the Anti-Cybercrime Law, to arrest and prosecute them. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has issued sentences of up to 90 years against individuals for expressing their opinions.
While exposure to media freedom, journalists' safety and freedom of expression affect the realization of other human rights, this is evident in Saudi Arabia. As the growing repression of freedom of opinion and expression and the continuous violations against journalists and bloggers prevent access to information. This restricts the right to choose and participate in crucial economic and social decisions, along with other rights.
In addition, on International Day, the United Nations emphasized that the dissemination of misinformation, online and offline, seriously affects the institutions on which democracy, the rule of law and human rights are based. In light of the absence of any role for the free media, the restriction of freedom of opinion and expression, and the Saudi government's use of social media to pursue individuals, misleading and incorrect information is widely spread.
ESOHR points out that while the right to freedom of expression, stipulated in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is a prerequisite and a driver for the enjoyment of all other human rights, the suppression of this right and the prosecution of anyone who expresses his opinion restricts access to other rights. ESOHR also affirms that violating the right to expression and suppressing freedom of the press is the Saudi government's means of disseminating information and the image it wants for itself, far from the facts and reality based on various human rights violations.