(ANSA) - STRASBOURG, 7 NOV - "It is crucial to step up the prosecution of wartime crimes - at the moment there are 1 200 war crime cases, involving 5 000 suspects, that still need to be processed" says the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, while releasing a report based on his visit to the country last June. Muiznieks also declares to be "deeply concerned about the difficult conditions in which the media operate". The prosecution of wartime crimes is seen by the Commissioner as a central element to build "a more cohesive society". The other is to uphold the human rights of all civilian war victims, especially those of the 7 thousand internally displaced people and of the families of the more than 6 800 missing persons. Publishing the report Muiznieks also asks the authorities to "effectively protect media freedom". The Commissioner is particularly critical of the "growing use of defamation as a tool to exert pressure on journalists" and the "persisting physical violence and threats against journalists" and therefore calls on the authorities to "improve journalists' safety". Muiznieks also asks the authorities to "improve journalists' labour conditions". (ANSA)