Crimes against Journalists and Impunity

The Vost-Intelligencer since 1854 OCTOBER 14 2014 CRIMES AGAINST JOURNALISTS AND IMPUNITY THE UNITED NATIONS ADOPTED THE RESOLUTION ON SAFETY OF JOURNALISTS AND THE ISSUE OF IMPUNITY ON 18 DECEMBER 2013 "condemns unequivocally all attacks and violence against journalists and media workers, such as torture, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappear- ances and arbitrary detention. as well as intimidation and harassment in both conflict and non-conflict situations". It is the first time the UNGA has adopted a resolution directly address- ing the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity. The Resolution also proclaimed 2 November as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. The date coincides with the day when French journalists Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon were killed by militants in Mali this year. It also falls within the three week period each year that media NGOS worldwide have been campaigning against impunity. Freedom of expression is under siege depriving societies and communities from correct information on issues and matters at hand credibility of the judicial system. This is followed by a sense of impunity and lawlessness which embold- "Journalists must be able to keep the public informed without fearing for their lives. A free "I welcome the adoption of this Resolu- tion by the General Assembly and its recognition of UNESCO's leadership in the promoting safety of journalists and of fighting impunity" said Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO. A culture of impunity fosters a climate of fear, apathy and suspicion where individuals are afraid to talk about the issues that affect their communities and societies at large o Impunity creates a vicious cycle and a culture of self-censorship Journalists are attacked for reporting on sensitive topics, creating self-censor- ship in the media as well as in society. A climate of fear for speaking out blocks the public from the truth and has repercussions on the and independent press is essential for democracy and rule of law" The Resolution calls on the UN secre- its next session ens perpetrators and encourages other offenders to attack the media. tary general to report in 2014 on the progress being made by the UN system in regard to implement- ing the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. Irina Bokova Director-General of UNESCO journalis ts killed 593 IMPUNITY CREATES A VICIOUS CYCLE AND A CULTURE OF from 200L-2013 an act condemned by UNESCO director general SELF-CENSORSHIP Irina Bokova Director General UNESCO JOURNALISTS KILLED PER YEAR UN PLAN OF ACTION ON THE SAFETY OF JOURNALISTS AND THE ISSUE OF IMPUNITY o First concerted effort hin shaN Family to address these issues via a holistic and multistakeholder approach 2013: 91 PRESSA ARIA LEGISLATIVE MEASURES FIRST IMPLEMENTATION PHASE IN FOUR PILOT COUNTRIES (period 2013-2014) • AWARENESS-RAISING IN THE JUDICIARY AND AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND MILI- TARY PERSONNEL, AS WELL AS AMONG JOURNAL- ISTS AND IN CIVIL SOCIETY, REGARDING INTERNA- TIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN LAW S.Sudan IRAQ PAKISTAN NEPAL 2012:123 OBLIGATIONS AND COMMITMENTS RELATING TO THE SAFETY OF JOURNALISTS • THE MONITORING AND REPORTING OF ATTACKS AGAINST JOURNALISTS • PUBLICLY CONDEMNING ATTACKS • DEDICATING THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE SUCH ATTACKS 2011: 62 AIAretatereta 2010: 65 The Sun-Times 2009: 77 since 1954 OCTOBER 14 2014 2008: 46 WHAT IF 2007: 59 YOU WOKE 2006: 70 UP AND average 1 death per week THERE WAS NO NEWS? Europe and North America Latin America and the Caribbean Africa Arab States Asia and the Pacific REGION "Journalists must be able to keep the public informed without fearing for their lives. A free and independent press is essential for democracy and rule of law" Europe and North Ameríca: 4% 25 de aths "These rights are essential for human dignity - they are also vital for all other rights, for good governance, democracy and the rule of law, for inclusive and sus- tainable development" LATIN AMERICA ARAB STATES: AND THE Africa: CARIBBEAN: 21% 76 190 123 deaths deaths deaths ASIA AND PACIFIC: 179 sharp increase with a peak in 2012 Quotes by the Director General of UNESCO deaths Overall decline 4% 32% Upward trend Overall decline after the peak in 2009 21% 13% 30% Constant until an increase in 2012 and 2013 IMPUNITY Only 38 out of 593 cases are considered resolved 6.4% more than 9 out of 10 cases remain unsolved TylE gender male 94% 171 cases are Africa: 2 out 76 cases were resolved Arab States: still ongoing in various stages of judicial inquiry RADIO WEB TV PRINT CROSS PLATFORM 2 out of 190 OF MEDIA cases were resolved 28.8% 2.6% 1% 123 deaths 41 deaths kal journalst 154 244 31 deaths deaths deaths 21% 5% femake In Asia and the Europe and North America: 10 out of 25 cases 7% 26% Latin America and the Carib- bean: 12 out of 123 cases were resolved 9.8% Pacific: 12 out of 179 cases were resolved resolved were resolved 6.7% 40% Source: UNESCO INESCO visual.ly memuro 33 INFOGRAPHIC BY MEMUCO [email protected] This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. CC BY