This submission was made jointly by Lawyers for Human Rights, Amnesty International South Africa, and the South African National Editor’s Forum to inform the study under Human Rights Council Resolution 59/15 aimed at addressing the effectiveness of national frameworks for the protection of journalists in South Africa. The submission focuses on gaps in implementation and institutional coordination despite a strong constitutional foundation for media freedom. Key issues examined include SLAPP litigation, surveillance, whistleblower protections, and the disproportionate risks faced by women and freelance journalists. It calls for a comprehensive, human rights-based national framework for journalist safety, including explicit recognition of journalists as human rights defenders, aligned with international standards.
