Toward the Recognition of a New Human Right: the Right to Know

On May 15,  the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe elected Senator Roberto Rampi as general rapporteur on the Report on “Freedom of Media, Public Trust and the People's Right to Know“.
The draft resolution, which will be redacted and examined within the Committee, will then be brought before the Strasbourg Plenary Assembly of 47 European countries for final approval. Senator Rampi was appointed during a remote meeting of the Committee, which was the first to use technology allowing its members to participate, intervene and vote remotely.

In accepting the appointment, Roberto Rampi stated: “The right to know is a long-standing issue that goes to the heart of the meaning of our Parliamentary Assembly, because democracy is only possible if we have the tools to understand, the tools to know and to critically discern. In these most difficult times, we understand how the citizen's right to know is essential also for the health of citizens, as understanding what is happening is crucial in determining our behaviour. Those who had the tools to understand had more chances than others of saving their lives.” The right to know is thus taken up in a supranational institution whose main purpose is to protect and to promote the values underlying democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

It is an intermediate milestone on the long road towards its recognition on which the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT) and the Global Committee for the Rule of Law “Marco Pannella” have been engaged. This result pushes us to continue our campaign for this democratic goal through parliamentary and institutional action, precisely at a time when the fragility of many Parliaments has emerged. This step has been made possible by those who have tenaciously continued to promote this theme, that has not yet made it to the forefront of the international political agenda, but which will be decisive for the change we want to see. A few days ahead of the fourth anniversary of Marco Pannella’s passing, we are happy to be able to announce that his, our, “last battle” continues. (r.r.)