The implementation of emergency legislation is increasingly accompanied by a very broad interpretation of the notion of false information . Governments use the notion of “fake news” and disinformation to censor journalists and independent media. Bolivia defines disinformation so broadly that virtually any information can be declared “false”.
A resurgence of sanctions on this subject has been seen in Hungary (89th out of 180 countries in the RSF press freedom index), under the so-called “Coronavirus” law, adopted on March 30 by the Hungarian parliament. Russia also adopted a bill in April that provides for up to five years in prison for the dissemination of fake news relating to the coronavirus. Brazil (107th in the RSF index) and the United States (45th) are also practicing this strategy of discrediting the media. In Egypt , the Supreme Council for Media Regulation is calling on citizens to report questionable information published about Covid-19 by telephone.
The repression affects journalists individually, but also the organizations bank data to which they belong: broadcast bans and seizures (closure of 221 websites in Burma ), very heavy fines and prison sentences (up to €25,000 in Russia , 6 months in prison in South Africa , a year and a half in Indonesia , five years in Botswana, etc.).
Given the intensification of threats to press freedom and journalists since the start of the pandemic, the aim of organisations such as Reporters Without Borders is to ensure that these emergency laws are not perpetuated, and to urge governments and other political actors not to hinder the work of journalists. The exceptional measures taken in recent months must not continue once the health crisis is contained.
RSF plans to publish a major post-pandemic white paper, which will take stock of the damage caused by the pandemic in the journalism sector. Regarding Covid-19, Pauline Adès-Mevel nevertheless points out that we are not yet at "the dawn of an end to the crisis".