Press release
UNESCO: Impunity for killings of Journalists remains unacceptably high at 86%
On the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, I call on governments and all stakeholders to redouble their efforts to end impunity for crimes against journalists. Freedom of expression cannot be protected when there is such a staggering number of unresolved cases. It has a chilling effect on investigative reporting, a field of journalism which is vital to the health of any democracy.
The UNESCO Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity for the period 2020-21 is published on 2 November. Data shows that the impunity rate has fallen by only 9% in the last ten years - UNESCO welcomes this progress but warns such a decrease is insufficient to succeed in stopping the spiral of violence.
The UNESCO report also shows that there are no safe spaces for journalists. In 2020-2021, of the 117 journalists killed for being journalists, 91 – or 78% – were killed while off the clock, for example at home, in their vehicles or in the street but not on specific assignment. Several were killed in front of family members, including their children.
UNESCO mobilized every day to protect journalists
UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity building and by coordinating the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
In addition to working with its 193 Member States to develop and implement national media laws and policies, UNESCO trains judges, prosecutors and security forces to enforce the rights of journalists and ensure that attacks against them are investigated and prosecuted.
In ten years, UNESCO has already trained more than 24,000 judges, including 15,000 in Latin America within the framework of a fruitful partnership with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The Organization has also trained more than 11,500 police officers, including through a new online course launched this year in partnership with the International Police Association (IPA).
An international conference in Vienna, 3-4 November
To mark the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action, a Conference convened by the Austrian Ministry of European and International Affairs, in collaboration with UNESCO and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, will be held on the 3 and 4 of November in Vienna, Austria.
The Director-General of UNESCO will open the event. This conference will allow stakeholders to reflect on how to prevent, protect and prosecute crimes against journalists, and how to tackle emerging trends.
More on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists
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