Organization:Portugal
Syndicate of Journalists
Date Approved:
May 1993
Other Version(s) in our Codes
of Ethics Online Collection:None
of Ethics Online Collection:None
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be the most recent versions. Please contact the individual organizations
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the individual organizations directly.
Code of Journalists
Adopted by the Syndicate of Journalists in May 1993. Translated from French by Tiina Laitila.
- The journalist has a duty to report the facts with accuracy
and in exact manner, and to interpret them honestly. The
facts are "comprovees" by hearing the parties with remarkable
interests in the case.
- The journalist has to fight the censorship and the sensationalism
and to consider accusations without proof and the plagiarition
as serious professional mistakes.
- The journalist has to fight against the restrictions in
the access to the information sources, and against the attempts
to limit the freedom of expression and the right to inform.
It is the obligation of the journalist to announce such
offences to those rights.
- The journalist has to use loyal means in obtaining the
information, pictures or documents, and to avoid abusing
anyone's good faith. Identification oneself as a journalist
is a rule, breaking of which is permissible only on the
grounds of an unquestionable public interest.
- The journalist has to carry responsibility of all his/
her work and professional acts, and to correct the information
proved to be false or unexact. The journalist has to refuse
from acts/ behavior that violates his/ her conscience.
- Identification of the sources is an essential criteria
for the journalist. The journalist must not reveal, not
even in the court, his / her confidential sources except
when he has been abused by giving false information. The
opinions shall always be attributed - separated as such.
- The journalist has to guarantee the presumption of innocence
until the case is finished. The journalist must not identify,
directly or indirectly, the victims of sexual crimes or
the juvenile criminals nor must he/ she humiliate people
or disturb their pain.
- The journalist has to reject to treat people in a discriminatory
way, based on their colour, race, nationality or sex.
- The journalist has to respect the private life of the
citizens except when the public interest demands the revelation
or when the behaviour of the person in question is contradictory
to the values and principles of the public, which he/ she
defends.
- The journalist has to reject demands, functions, and benefits that could question his/ her independent status and the professional integrity. The journalist must not use his professional status in order to get personal benefits.
