UNESCO reports a 38 percent increase in journalist deaths and urges governments to stop impunity
\n Southern Lebanon
\nThe killing of journalists worldwide surged in 2022-23 compared with the previous two years, with a majority of cases unsolved, the United Nations has said.
\nOn average, one journalist was killed every four days, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in a report released on Saturday.
\nAt 162 deaths, the number of journalists killed while working leaped 38 percent, the report found, calling the increase \u201calarming\u201d.
\n\u201cIn 2022 and 2023, a journalist was killed every four days simply for doing their vital job to pursue truth,\u201d UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a statement.
\nShe urged countries to \u201cdo more to ensure that these crimes never go unpunished\u201d.
\nSaturday is the UN-recognised International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
\nThe largest number of killings was in Latin America and the Caribbean, at 61 over the two years, while the least deadly global region for journalists was North America and Western Europe with six killings.
\nFor the first time since 2017, a majority of journalists were killed in conflict zones in 2023, with 44 deaths accounting for 59 percent of the year\u2019s total \u2013 a shift from a years-long decline in conflict-related fatalities.
\nDuring the 2022-23 period, local journalists made up 86 percent of those killed while covering conflicts, the report said.
\nIn 2023, Palestine recorded the highest number of cases, with 24 journalists dying in the line of work.
\nWhile the report does not include deaths in 2024, since October last year the number of journalists killed in Gaza, Israel and Lebanon has jumped to more than 135, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
\nJournalists have faced unprecedented danger while covering Israel\u2019s wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
\nIsraeli authorities have repeatedly killed and threatened Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza, whom they accused of being Hamas affiliates. The network has denied and condemned the claims.
\nThis week, the Al Jazeera Media Network condemned the \u201csystematic targeting\u201d of journalists in the Palestinian territory and the region, saying the attacks \u201cconstitute a calculated campaign to silence those who dare to document the realities of war and devastation\u201d.
\nThe UNESCO report said other media workers were targeted for covering organised crime, corruption or while reporting on public demonstrations.
\nAmong the journalists killed in 2022-23, 14 were women \u2013 nine percent of the total \u2013 while at least five were in the 15-24 age range.
\nThe report highlighted the impunity around the killing of journalists, as 85 percent of cases identified by UNESCO since 2006 are still unsolved or have been abandoned, according to responses individual countries sent the body.
\nThat marked some improvement on the 89 percent non-resolution rate in 2018 and 95 percent in 2012.
\nBut of 75 countries the UN agency contacted for updates on open cases, 17 did not respond at all and nine did no more than acknowledge the request.
\nEven in the 210 cases where journalists\u2019 killings were resolved, the median time this took stood at four years.
\n\u201cJustice delayed is justice denied,\u201d the report authors wrote.
\nUN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called on governments to \u201ctake urgent steps\u201d to protect journalists, and investigate and prosecute crimes against media workers worldwide.
\n\u201cImpunity breeds further violence,\u201d said Guterres in a post on the social media platform X.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNESCO reports a 38 percent increase in journalist deaths and urges governments to stop impunity Southern Lebanon The killing of journalists worldwide surged in 2022-23 compared with the previous two years, with a majority of cases unsolved, the United Nations has said. On average, one journalist was killed every four days, the UN Educational, Scientific […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":441288,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-441252","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n