2 May 2012

UN notes continued pressure on media freedom in Pacific

2:40 pm on 2 May 2012

A United Nations representative says there is still pressure restricting the freedom of the press in the Pacific region.

May the 3rd marks World Press Freedom Day.

The regional representative for the Pacific for the United Nations office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is Matilda Bogner.

She says overall, the press is able to express itself relatively freely within the Pacific, but it does depend on the country, the time and the circumstances.

Matilda Bogner says for example there have been worrying and brutal attacks on journalists in Papua New Guinea since the change of government, but the government has not yet fully investigated the attacks.

"So it is important for the government to fully investigate those and to prosecute anybody who is responsible. That's important not just for due process but it's also important to send a message that they do want to uphold freedom of expression in the country. Whatever the political situation is, journalists need to be able to report on those situations and need to be able to give information to citizens and residents of the country."

UN representative for the Pacific, Matilda Bogner.