International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists

International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists

The latest UNESCO data on killings of journalists shows that the global impunity rate for journalist killings remains shockingly high at 86%.

This year, the main commemoration of this day is taking place on 2 -3 November, 2023 at the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington D.C.

Organized by UNESCO, in partnership with the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and its Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (RELE), the event aims to strengthen the ties between organizations and actors involved in the promotion of freedom of expression and reinforce a coordinated response to the threats faced by journalists.

The event will include multiple panels and discussions, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders including former special rapporteurs, academia, civil society organizations, states, United Nations agencies, and any other individuals dedicated to improving journalist safety worldwide.

The day will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the OAS Special Rapporteurship and the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Special Procedure, two specialized offices that hold a pivotal role in promoting and safeguarding freedom of expression globally.

According to UNESCO, 9 out of every 10 journalists killings remain unsolved. Behind the numbers, there are stories of painful experiences which need to be heard in order to demand justice. Forgetting these cases fuels impunity.  #EndImpunity

Between January 2019 and June 2022, UNESCO documented 759 individual attacks against journalists, including 5 killings, during 89 elections in 70 countries.

The latest UNESCO data on killings of journalists shows that the global impunity rate for journalist killings remains shockingly high at 86%. On 2 November, UNESCO renewed its call for all necessary measures to ensure that crimes committed against journalists are properly investigated and their perpetrators identified and convicted.