INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE  “Safety of Journalists – New Challenges and Responses”  3 July 2017, Vilnius  Freedom of expression and independent journalism are the cornerstones of every democratic society. Yet, we are witnessing a different reality. Journalists and media experts continue to face physical and verbal attacks and intimidations as a direct result of their professional activities. The scale of violence against journalists is stunning – since 1992, more than a thousand journalists have been killed worldwide. In some countries, conditions for media professionals are in constant deterioration – oppressive political pressure, arbitrary arrests and prosecutions, disinformation wars, terrorism and defamation…