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November 2, 2024 – General –
UNESCO has sounded the alarm over a dramatic escalation in violence against journalists, with a new report revealing a 38% increase in journalist killings between 2022 and 2023 compared to the previous two-year period. Published on November 2, 2024—coinciding with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists—the report documents 162 journalists killed during this time, averaging one journalist murdered every four days.
The report highlights that more than half of these killings occurred in countries experiencing armed conflict. However, it also stresses that a growing number of journalists were killed outside of active war zones, including in peacetime nations where they were reporting on crime, corruption, or political abuse. Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the highest number of killings, followed closely by the Arab region, underscoring the persistent dangers faced by journalists in both democratic and authoritarian contexts.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay condemned the continued failure of states to protect journalists and prosecute their killers, stating that “a journalist was killed every four days simply for doing their job.” The report emphasized that impunity remains the norm, with a vast majority of these killings going unresolved. This failure to deliver justice not only emboldens perpetrators but also erodes public trust and the foundations of a democratic society.
The report also draws attention to gender-specific threats. While women made up 9% of those killed, many face unique risks, particularly online harassment and sexual violence, which are rarely prosecuted and often underreported.
In response to these findings, UNESCO called on governments to implement stronger protections for journalists, especially in conflict zones and repressive environments. It urged states to adopt legal safeguards, ensure thorough investigations, and utilize international frameworks such as UNESCO’s Observatory of Killed Journalists and the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists.
The stark rise in killings reflects a worsening global climate for press freedom. As UNESCO warns, if states continue to allow these crimes to go unpunished, the very act of journalism will become increasingly dangerous, and the public’s right to information will suffer irreparable harm.
Reference –
https://www.dw.com/en/unesco-reports-surge-in-journalist-killings/a-70666861
