Over half a thousand journalists killed since 2019 worldwide- UNESCO
By Nambu Bernadette
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, has revealed that between January 2019 and June 2022, they documented 759 individual attacks against journalists, including 5 killings, during 89 elections in 70 countries.
This recall was made as the world commemorates the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists Day on Wednesday, November 2, 2023.
According to UNESCO, the event aims at strengthening the ties between organizations and actors involved in the promotion of freedom of expression and reinforcing a coordinated response to the threats faced by journalists.
“On November 2, UNESCO renews its call for all necessary measures to ensure that crimes committed against journalists are properly investigated and their perpetrators identified and convicted,” they said.
UNESCO’s Director General, Audrey Azoulay further emphasized that; “When it comes to protecting journalists, everyone has a part to play. If we are complacent, if we look away, we are part of the problem,”.
The latest UNESCO data on killings of journalists show that the global impunity rate of journalists’ killings remains at 86%.
