RSF director Christophe Deloire

The AEJ UK notes with sadness the death from cancer of Christophe Deloire, director of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in Paris on June 8.

We have this tribute from AEJ UK chairman William Horsley, a member of RSF’s London bureau advisory board and a former BBC foreign correspondent.

Christophe Deloire, the director of the Paris-based NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF), who died last Saturday, has been rightly described as an inspired champion of press freedom who achieved near-miracles on behalf of jailed and persecuted journalists in many parts of the world. It became clear only recently that he was seriously ill and I was shocked and horrified when the news came that the disease had killed him with such terrifying speed. It’s rare that a single individual has such a dramatic and sweeping impact on the fierce ongoing battle to defend the truth-tellers against over-mighty and powerful persecutors. His inspired determination was behind a string of dramatic headlines, including spiriting the Russian state TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova to safety in France after she held up a placard during a live broadcast telling viewers “Stop the war, don’t believe the propaganda, they are lying to you”. Christophe’s boundless energy and ambition mobilised a massive operation to provide safety equipment and support to large numbers of journalists in Ukraine, and equally bold initiatives to assist journalists in the most extreme and dangerous conditions in Gaza and in conflict zones in Africa.

As RSF’s Director since 2012 Christophe also led a series of big innovations at the highest level of international policy-making. They have materially helped to raise the political cost to authoritarian regimes of silencing or jailing journalists thanks to his organisations’ high-profile advocacy and agenda-setting moves at the United Nations, and through skilful advocacy towards governments of all kinds. RSF’s annual Press Freedom Index is now a widely-quoted and indispensable measure of the worldwide contest to protect the safety of journalists and the inalienable right of everyone to be informed without censorship or reprisals. Christophe himself was the driving force behind many major RSF actions, from speaking out against the extradition of Julian Assange at court hearings in London to setting up RSF’s expanded network of international bureaus including those in Taiwan and London, to monitor attacks, defend those under attack, and ensure that what RSF calls Press freedom Predators are exposed and cannot not act with impunity.  

Christophe possessed a burning and infectious passion together with a warm personality and a ready smile. He can never be replaced but he will be hugely missed.

RSF announcement of Christophe Deloire’s death