William Horsley is CFOM’s International Director. He has a leading role to promote CFOM’s global mission to strengthen international protections for free and independent media and freedom of expression through research and analysis, advocacy, topical public events and seminars and policy advice to governments and media. He also engages with inter-governmental organisations, such as UNESCO and the Council of Europe.
His International Director’s Column focuses on issues of media freedom across the world alongside providing a snapshot of the advocacy work that William does. You can find his pieces below.
Media freedom battles reach high pitch on Human Rights Day
By William Horsley, CFOM International Director Every year on December 10 Human Rights Day is celebrated as the anniversary of the adoption in 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year more than ever, fierce...
Will giving the Nobel Peace Prize to two journalists make a difference? Yes it can.
By, William Horsley, CFOM International Director The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the Peace Prize to Dmitry Muratov, the editor of Novaya Gazeta in Russia, and Maria Ressa, the co-founder and editor of the investigative media outlet Rappler in the...
Dutch journalist’s shooting raises alarm on threats from international crime gangs
By William Horsley, International Director of CFOM Dutch crime reporter, one of the Netherlands’ best-known journalists, was shot and seriously injured on Tuesday evening in a street in downtown Amsterdam shortly after leaving the studios of RTL TV. Amsterdam’s mayor,...
European ministers conference put spotlight on “autocrats” and opponents of media freedom
By William Horsley, International Director of CFOM The June 10-11 ministerial conference on Media and Democracy co-hosted by Cyprus and the Council of Europe shone a rare spotlight on the actions of European governments accused of persecuting journalists and ‘state...
A legend of Turkish journalism was assassinated for his work 28 years ago: Is Europe willing to defend journalists at risk today?
By William Horsley, International Director of CFOM Uğur Mumcu, a renowned Turkish investigative journalist and columnist for the leading newspaper Cumhuriyet, was murdered just 28 years ago, in a car bomb explosion on 24 January 1993. The perpetrators of that crime...