‘85% of crimes against journalists go unpunished’

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NUJ

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said that 85 per cent of crimes committed against journalists go uninvestigated and unpunished, describing the situation as an unacceptable level of impunity.

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Guterres stated this in his message to mark World Press Freedom Day, observed annually on May 3 to highlight the importance of press freedom and the safety of journalists globally.

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He said press freedom remained a key pillar of democracy, noting that the media served as a public watchdog in society.

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Guterres recalled that the 1991 Windhoek Declaration strongly emphasised media freedom, which led the United Nations to dedicate the day to defending and strengthening press freedom worldwide.

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The UN chief warned that economic pressures, emerging technologies and deliberate information manipulation were placing press freedom under unprecedented strain.

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“When access to reliable information erodes, mistrust takes root.

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“When public debate is distorted, social cohesion weakens.

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“And when journalism is undermined, crises become far more difficult to prevent and resolve.

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“All freedom depends on press freedom. Without it, there can be no human rights, no sustainable development, and no peace,” he said.

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Guterres also called for stronger protection of journalists and efforts to ensure a world where truth and those who reported it were safe.

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He said journalists often became the first casualties in conflict, as they risked their lives to report events.

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“People often say that in war, truth is the first casualty.

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“But far too frequently, the first casualties are the journalists who risk everything to report that truth, not only in war, but wherever those in power fear scrutiny.

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“Across the globe, media workers risk censorship, surveillance, legal harassment, and even death,” he said.

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Guterres further noted a sharp rise in the number of journalists killed in recent years, often deliberately targeted in conflict zones.

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