Episode 71: International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists - a podcast by Dr. Tomi-Omo Oba

Today November 2-is the “International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists”! The theme for this year United Nations 🇺🇳 observance is: “Countering threats of violence and crimes against journalists to protect freedom of expression for all.” Ending impunity for crimes against journalists is one of the most pressing issues to guarantee freedom of expression and access to information for all citizens. Between 2006 and 2020, over 1,200 journalists have been killed for reporting the news and bringing information to the public. In nine out of ten cases the killers go unpunished, 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.
While killings are the most extreme form of media censorship, journalists are also subjected to countless threats - ranging from kidnapping, torture and other physical attacks to harassment, particularly in the digital sphere. Threats of violence and attacks against journalists, in particular, create a climate of fear for media professionals, impeding the free circulation of information, opinions and ideas for all citizens. Women journalists are particularly impacted by threats and attacks, notably by those made online. According to UNESCO’s discussion paper, The Chilling: Global trends in online violence against women journalists, 73 percent of the women journalists surveyed said they had been threatened, intimidated and insulted online in connection with their work.
In many cases, threats of violence and attacks against journalists are not properly investigated. This impunity emboldens the perpetrators of the crimes and at the same time has a chilling effect on society, including journalists themselves. UNESCO is concerned that impunity damages whole societies by covering up serious human rights abuses, corruption, and crime. Read and share the stories of killed journalists #TruthNeverDies and #WellnessWahala #EndImpunity. African Proverb of the Week: “Peace is Costly but it is worth the expense” & “Don’t Celebrate War, Cry for Peace” -Kenyan 🇰🇪Proverb. Source reference: https://www.un.org/en/observances/end-impunity-crimes-against-journalists

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