Creating A Safer Space for Journalists And Media Workers

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“Today and every day, we are grateful to the journalists and all media professionals who risk their health and lives to keep us informed, and to keep the truth alive.”- Secretary-General António Guterres. The media landscape has changed over the years. Interestingly, the changes to the media fraternity continue at a very fast pace. The job of a journalist can be considered high stress. A prime example of this high stress undertaking is happening before our eyes as journalists from all over the world are reporting live from Gaza in the Middle East as the Israeli Hamas War rages on. Many journalists have become targets and indeed many have been killed in the line of duty. It is for this said reason that ending impunity for crimes against journalists is very important. Ending impunity for crimes against journalists is one of the most important and complex challenges of recent times. It is an essential precondition to guarantee freedom of expression and access to information for all citizens. Journalists play a crucial role in safeguarding the freedoms of our societies. According to the United Nations between the years 2020-2021, over 117 journalists have been killed. Of course we have not added to the discourse the number of journalists and other media workers who have been injured in the pursuit of carrying the news into our homes. The United Nations adds, that only 14 percent of cases of crimes against journalists are currently considered judicially resolved and this is problematic. In many countries across the globe; especially those countries which do not follow democratic principles the murder of journalists as well as other media workers are not given the same amount of attention and resources in order to bring the guilty to justice. The UN reports that since 1993, more than 1,600 journalists have been killed for reporting the news and bringing information to the public. Disturbingly, in nine out of ten cases the killers go unpunished, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO) observatory of killed journalists. Impunity simply put is the exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action. Impunity leads to more killings and is often a symptom of worsening conflict and the breakdown of law and judicial systems. While killings are the most extreme form of media censorship, journalists are also subjected to countless threats ranging from kidnapping, torture and other physical attacks to harassment, particularly in the digital sphere. Threats of violence and attacks against journalists, bloggers, vloggers in particular, create a climate of fear for media professionals, thus impeding the free circulation of information, opinions and ideas for all citizens. Women journalists are particularly impacted by threats and attacks, notably by those made online. In many cases, threats of violence and attacks against journalists are not properly investigated. This impunity emboldens the perpetrators of the crimes and at the same time has a chilling effect on society, including journalists themselves. Deadliest Countries for Journalists. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Mexico ranks first on the list of dangerous countries for journalists. In 2022, 11 journalists or media workers were killed in Mexico in connection with their jobs. As a result of the Russian invasion, Ukraine is now the second-deadliest country for journalists, with 8 deaths. Countries shaken by violence such as Haiti, Nicaragua and Brazil were among the riskiest for investigating issues relating to organized crime, gangs and corruption, RSF said. The country that imprisons the most journalists globally is China, with 99 currently jailed there as well as 11 in Hong Kong. Myanmar is second on that list followed by Iran, then Vietnam and Belarus closing out the top 5. Importantly, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are all on that list. Let us not forget the murder of Jamal Khashoggi who was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2 November as the ‘International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists’. The Resolution urged Member States to implement definite measures countering the present culture of impunity. The date was chosen in commemoration of the assassination of two French journalists in Mali on 2 November 2013. Safeguarding Journalists As the international community observes the International Day impunity for crimes against journalists let us pause to salute those fallen journalists who have paid the ultimate price for daring to bring the news to us. Let us also remember those journalists who are serving prison sentences for exposing corruption and injustice. On the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, we urge all governments to redouble their efforts to protect journalists from violence and indeed create a safe environment for them to go about their jobs. We should also use our collective voices and call upon governments globally to unconditionally release all journalists who have been incarcerated. It is only through heightened awareness and advocacy; that we can create a safer environment for journalists to operate without fear, as well as bring to book those guilty regarding acts of aggression against journalists. Now is the time to dismantle the culture of impunity that has taken hold in many societies; not solely for the sake of journalists but also to promote those principles aligned with democratic values and ideals in order for sustainable development and justice to thrive. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo ©

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