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The Action Plan for the Protection, Safety, and Empowerment of Journalists has been operational since 2023. 

What activities are carried out? 

The Action Plan contains 23 time-bound recommendations for which specific stakeholders are responsible for implementing, therefore strengthening national coordination structures for the safety for journalists. 

The Action Plan’s recommendations include engaging in awareness campaigns and training sessions on the safety of journalists, especially regarding protests and riots, for the police and for journalists, and recommends meetings between both ahead of demonstrations. 

The Action Plan recommends training sessions to be organised for police, prosecutors and judges on the topics of safety of journalists, investigation, and law enforcement practices. The trainings for judges are on media related issues such as SLAPPs (strategic lawsuit against public participation). 

How is it implemented? 

A Working Group was established in 2022 for the coordination of the implementation of European Commission Recommendation (EU 2021/1534) on ensuring the protection, safety and empowerment of journalists and other media professionals in the European Union. Some activities are still being developed. 

Who are the stakeholders? 

The Working Group is headed by the Ministry of Culture and composed of different actors including representatives of multiple government ministries, like the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson, the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic, and the Office of the Inspector of Journalist Ethics. 

Other stakeholders include representatives of the media sector, the National Courts Administration, the Police Department, civil society like the Lithuanian Journalism Centre, and journalist unions such as the Lithuanian Society of Journalists, the Lithuanian Union of Journalists.