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The global entity reported this Tuesday, November 2, within the framework of the international day against impunity for crimes against journalists, that 9 out of 10 murders of journalists in the last 14 years remain unsolved, which translates into an impunity of 87 %. The organization warned of the effects of the lack of justice for these crimes in the international right to freedom of expression.
This Tuesday, November 2, the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists is celebrated and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) revealed figures that reveal the constant coercion that information professionals around the world face.
According to UNESCO’s observatory of murdered journalists, “between 2006 and 2020, more than 1,200 journalists were murdered around the world and about 9 out of 10 cases of these murders remain judicially unsolved”, which translates into impunity for these crimes of 87%.
In the last five years (2016-2020), UNESCO recorded a drop in the number of murders, rounding 400 cases compared to 491 in the period from 2011 to 2015. However, despite the fact that deaths fell, they continue to be victims of other harassment, such as imprisonment, kidnapping, torture and harassment. In addition, although this figure has decreased compared to previous periods, UNESCO indicates that impunity remains constant in the face of murders.
These data were gathered in the report ‘Global trends in freedom of expression and media development‘for 2021-2022, a document that will be published in December.
“Constant threats dissuade journalists from conducting controversial investigations”
UNESCO’s campaign on October 2 aims to draw attention to the urgent need to investigate and prosecute harassment against professionals of the press, whether online or physical, and raises as one of the contemporary challenges the security of journalists.
The entity was emphatic that crimes against journalists go against freedom of expression and the fundamental rights of societies to be informed, as well as that they weaken the judicial powers and the rule of law of the countries.
“Attacks against journalists contribute to creating a climate of fear in media professionals and impact the quality of their journalism. (…) Constant threats discourage journalists from conducting controversial investigations and encourage self-censorship.” UNESCO said in a statement.
Online attacks are frequent on press communicators and especially towards women. A survey carried out by UNESCO and the International Center for Journalists shows that 73% of the 625 journalists who answered the questionnaire answered that they had suffered some form of violence online and 20% said they had been mistreated in person.
In Latin America, 594 journalists murdered in the last 30 years
In relation to this date –implemented by UNESCO since 2013-, the president of the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), Jorge Canahuati, said in a statement that this violence against journalists is fueled by “high levels of impunity.”
Canahuati assured that in Latin America these practices are reflected in “the most extreme censorship that affects press freedom” and indicated that the absence of Justice in the region causes an “inhibitory effect” when exercising the profession.
IAPA records show that from 1987 to the present, 594 journalists were murdered in 20 Latin American countries. In addition, they reaffirmed that they will continue their work to eradicate attacks against journalism.
The IAPA continues its search for Justice in the Inter-American Human Rights System for a large number of cases that have occurred in past decades. Since 1997, the IAPA has presented 29 cases to the IACHR in different procedural stages.
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