The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has released a damning figure of impunity against journalist, lamenting that killings have reached unacceptably high at 86 per cent, reports ITREALMS.
“Although this figure remains unacceptably high, it represents an 9 percentage points reduction in the rate of impunity since 2012 when the United Nations launched its Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists.
Some key new figures in the UN Report indicated that of the 117 journalists killed in 2020-21, 91 or 78 per cent were killed while off the clock, for example, at home, in their vehicles or in the street but not on specific assignment, just as several were killed in front of family members, including their children.
Last year, UNESCO also stated, saw the number of killed women journalists rising from 6-11% of the total, describing it as a worrying trend continuing this year.
For instance, the report noted that in the 2020-2021period, 6 journalists were killed while covering protests, riots or demonstrations. This confirms the trend identified in the previous Director-General's Report which noted a rise in the number of journalists killed in such contexts.
Further,
ITREALMS gathered that journalists who reveal stories of public interest are often attacked and killed.
“Already, this year over 70 journalists have had to pay the ultimate price; 9 out of 10 killings go unpunished. Impunity for crimes against journalists affects the core of our freedoms of expression and information.
“Silencing a journalist has consequences for everyone. We cannot turn a blind eye to impunity. We cannot let their deaths be invisible to society,” part of the report read.
Remmy Nweke/DoP
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