Journalist targeted? Society pays price! Rise to 'Keep Truth Alive' this Int'l Day to end impunity against Journalists

New Delhi, November 02: Underscoring the risk that a truth faces in the society, the risk that journalists face abide, a new study from the UNESCO has revealed shocking figures predicting that almost 90 per cent attackers of more than 1,100 of them, between 2006 and 2018 have not been convicted.

 

The report labelled, 'Intensified Attacks, New Defences', further notes that killings of journalists have risen by some 18 per cent in the past five years, from 2014-2018, compared to the previous five-year period.

 

 

“When journalists are targeted, societies as a whole pay a price”, added the UN chief. “Without the ability to protect journalists, our ability to remain informed and contribute to decision-making, is severely hampered”.

 

“Without journalists able to do their jobs in safety, we face the prospect of a world of confusion and disinformation", said the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, warning in a statement released ahead of the International Day to End Impunity Against Journalists, which falls on 2 November.

"The deadliest countries for journalists are Arab States, where almost a third of the killings took place. The Latin American and Caribbean region 26 per cent, and Asian and Pacific States 24 per cent are the next most dangerous", the report stated.

 

Journalists are often murdered for their reporting on politics, crime and corruption, and this is reflected in the study, which also reveals that more than half of journalist fatalities were in non-conflict zones in last two years.

In his statement further, the Secretary General noted the rise in the scale and number of attacks on journalists and media workers, as well as incidents that make their work much harder, including threats of prosecution, arrest, imprisonment, denial of journalistic access and failures to investigate and prosecute crimes against them.

 

Marking the significance of the day, this year UNESCO has launched the 'Keep Truth Alive' social media campaign, which draws attention to the dangers faced by journalists close to their homes. It also is meant at highlighting the fact that 93% of those killed work locally, and featuring an interactive map created for the campaign, which provides a vivid demonstration of the scale and breadth of the dangers faced by journalists worldwide.