Hyderabad: November 2 is observed as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. Proclaimed by the United Nations, this day focuses on addressing the urgent need to protect journalists and bring those who harm them to justice. It’s a day to stand up for the right to freedom of expression and to honor those who have lost their lives in the pursuit of truth.
Background
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2 November as the ‘International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists’ in General Assembly Resolution A/RES/68/163. The Resolution urged Member States to implement definite measures countering the present culture of impunity. The date was chosen in commemoration of the assassination of two French journalists in Mali on 2 November 2013.
This landmark resolution condemns all attacks and violence against journalists and media workers. It also urges Member States to do their utmost to prevent violence against journalists and media workers, to ensure accountability, bring to justice perpetrators of crimes against journalists and media workers, and ensure that victims have access to appropriate remedies. It further calls upon States to promote a safe and enabling environment for journalists to perform their work independently and without undue interference.
About International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
Between 2006 and 2024, over 1,700 journalists have been killed around the world, with close to 9 out of 10 cases of these killings remaining judicially unresolved, according to the UNESCO Observatory of Killed Journalists.
Impunity leads to more killings and is often a symptom of worsening conflict and the breakdown of law and judicial systems. UNESCO is concerned that impunity damages whole societies by covering up serious human rights abuses, corruption, and crime. Governments, civil society, the media, and everyone concerned to uphold the rule of law are being asked to join in the global efforts to end impunity.
It is in recognition of the far-reaching consequences of impunity, especially of crimes against journalists, that the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/68/163 at its 68th session in 2013 which proclaimed 2 November as the ‘International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists’ (IDEI).
The Resolution urged Member States to implement definite measures countering the present culture of impunity. The date was chosen in commemoration of the assassination of two French journalists in Mali on 2 November 2013.
The Global Commemoration of this day will take place at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, hosted by the AU and co-organized by UNESCO and the AU. The event will take place from the 6-7 November under the theme of Safety of Journalists in Crises and Emergencies.
Every IDEI, UNESCO calls on governments, civil society, the media, and everyone concerned to uphold the rule of law, and to join in the global effort to raise awareness on the need to end impunity for crimes against journalists.
In 2021, the percentage of women among all journalists killed almost doubled, rising to 11% from 6% the previous year. Available data as of 30 September 2022 showed that again 11% of killings so far have been women journalists.
According to UNESCO-supported research, an alarming increase in instances of allegations of financial wrongdoing, designed to pressure, intimate and silence independent journalists and media outlets in the last three years. Of 120 cases reviewed by UNESCO dating from 2005-2024, 60% occurred between 2019-2023.
UNESCO’s Support to Journalists in Crises and Emergencies
Conflict-induced crises and the resultant humanitarian emergencies are increasing worldwide, not least in places like the Horn of Africa, the Sahel region, Europe, and the Middle East. Climate disasters are also increasing in frequency and impact.
The impact of crises and emergencies on the free flow of information cannot be underestimated. UNESCO has warned of the creation of “zones of silence” in several ongoing conflicts due to the increase in conflict-related safety concerns of journalists and media organizations, impinging on their ability to engage in accurate and public-interest reporting.
Women Journalists in Crises and Emergencies
UNESCO is committed to the safety of women journalists, working with partners to identify and implement effective measures and sharing recommendations to all parties concerned by this topic. Women journalists face increasing numbers of attacks, verbal, physical, offline and online, attacks of a gender-specific nature, such as sexist hate speech, trolling, sexual assault and rape, and murder.
IDEI 2024 will provide an important platform for regional stakeholders to discuss the safety of women journalists in crisis contexts, especially against the background of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, in the lead-up to the Beijing +30 in 2025, and given that Gender Equality is one of UNESCO’s global priorities, along with Africa. Furthermore, these initiatives are in line with the recommendations of the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
Crimes against Journalists In India
According Reporters Without Borders(RSB) at least 13 of the 28 journalists killed since 2014 were working on environmental-related subjects, mainly land seizures and illegal mining for industrial purposes. Several were killed for taking an interest in India’s so-called sand mafia, an organised crime network that excavates sand illegally for the country’s booming construction industry. Closely linked to politicians and often protected by them, the mafia is quick to silence journalists who take too close an interest in its activities, and does so with complete impunity.
Safest Countries For Journalists(World Press Freedom Index by RSF)
| Rank | Country | GLOBAL SCORE |
| 1 | Norway | 91.89 |
| 2 | Denmark | 89.6 |
| 3 | Sweden | 88.32 |
| 4 | Netherlands | 87.73 |
| 5 | Finland | 86.55 |
| 6 | Estonia | 86.44 |
| 7 | Portugal | 85.9 |
| 8 | Ireland | 85.59 |
| 9 | Switzerland | 84.01 |
| 10 | Germany | 83.84 |
Worst Countries For Journalists(World Press Freedom Index by RSF)
| Rank | Country | GLOBAL SCORE |
| 1 | Eritrea | 16.64 |
| 2 | Syria | 17.41 |
| 3 | Afghanistan | 19.09 |
| 4 | North Korea | 20.66 |
| 5 | Iran | 21.3 |
| 6 | Turkmenistan | 22.01 |
| 7 | Vietnam | 22.31 |
| 8 | Bahrain | 23.21 |
| 9 | China | 23.36 |
| 10 | Myanmar | 24.41 |
India
In ‘the world's largest democracy,’ a term often attributed to India, press freedom faces a severe crisis marked by instances of violence against journalists, highly concentrated media ownership, and political affiliations. Placing it in the 159th position with an overall score of 31.28.
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