Unesco chief calls for justice for slain journalists

Injustice against journalists is costly for society, a senior United Nations top official has said.

UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova said in her message for the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, observed annually on Nov. 2, that justice must be done for the murder of journalists, who perform important functions in taking forward fundamental freedoms and bolstering the strength of societies.

She called for an end to impunity in crimes against journalists.

“This is why injustice against journalists is so costly for all societies,” Bokova said.

From 2006 to 2016, some 930 journalists were killed worldwide, according to UNESCO’s latest figures. In 2016 alone, some 102 journalists were killed in the line of duty.

“Worryingly, more than nine out of 10 cases, the perpetrators are never brought to justice,” Bokova said. “We must ensure justice is done for every journalist killed.”

Bokova emphasized that journalists must be defended through concerted action by governments, supported by the UN, working with all relevant actors from international regional organizations, judiciaries and media to private companies, academia and civil society.

This partnership for action was embodied in UNESCO’s recent MultiStakeholder Consultation, held in Geneva to strengthen the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.