The Media Freedom Coalition has today penned a statement in commemoration of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.
The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists was founded on 2 November in 2013, drawing critical awareness to the necessary protection of uninhibited journalism as a key aspect of freedom of opinion and expression, both online and offline.
In their statement, they underscored the global death rates from, and low conviction rates for, violent crimes against journalists and media workers. Emphasizing how it clearly demonstrates the current obstacles to achieving free media globally.
“On this day, we pay tribute to those journalists who have been threatened, subjected to violence, or killed in their line of work, including female journalists, who remain disproportionately targeted.”
They further stated that in nine out of ten cases, the perpetrators of violence against journalists go unpunished. UNESCO reports that 99 journalists and media workers were killed in 2018 and another 57 journalists and media workers were killed in 2019.
“This climate of impunity perpetuates the cycle of violence against journalists and the media.” They wrote.
While also highlighting how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing threats to journalists across the globe, as they are forced to when reporting from the front lines of the health crisis, to censor, while constantly being faced with intimidation or violence.
“Violence against journalists and media workers comes in many forms, from harassment and intimidation to abduction, sexual and gender-based violence and from illegal arrest to murder. They also face deliberate attempts to impact their ability to work, to investigate, and to report, from overly restrictive laws to censorship. Apart from killings, female journalists are also affected by gender-specific safety risks, such as sexual harassment, sexual violence, and threats of violence. Yet the ability of journalists to work freely is fundamental to a functioning democracy. It allows access to reliable information and counters disinformation, misinformation, and other forms of manipulation of information.” They said.
They, therefore, called upon all states to advocate for a free, independent, plural, and diverse media; to condemn actions that might jeopardize the safety and independence of journalists and media workers, and to hold to account those who seek to harm journalists or restrict their ability to work.
“On this day, we pay tribute to those journalists who have been threatened, subjected to violence or killed in their line of work, including female journalists, who remain disproportionately targeted.”
Nations from around the world will come together to address this issue at the first ministerial meeting of the Media Freedom Coalition on 16 November 2020, as part of the second Global Conference for Media Freedom.
Canada has been leading and supporting resolutions on freedom of expression and the protection of journalists in the UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly. Since 2015, Canada has invested $18.2 million in programs supporting the media and the free flow of information. In 2019, Canada committed $1 million to the new Global Media Defence Fund, administered by UNESCO.
The coalition comprises 37 governments committed to working together to advocate for media freedom and the protection of journalists while staying committed to universal human rights and fundamental freedoms.