Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — In an increasingly hostile environment for the press, journalists worldwide continue to face life-threatening pressures and violence, underscoring the urgency of the 10th International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI), which opens today in Addis Ababa.
Hosted by UNESCO and marking two decades since the creation of the African Commission’s Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, this year’s event aims to renew global commitments to journalist safety and freedom of expression.
Dr. Jelassi Tawfik, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, addressed the growing dangers journalists encounter, emphasizing that UNESCO’s commitment to supporting journalist safety platforms, including those led by The African Editors Forum, remains unwavering.
“Despite efforts to curb violence, the global impunity rate remains alarmingly high at 85%, though it has declined by 10% in the last 12 years,” Dr. Tawfik noted.
New UNESCO data shows that as of December 2023, 162 journalists have lost their lives, most notably in conflict zones, marking a troubling trend. Doreen Apollos, Senior Communications Officer at the African Union Commission, highlighted that unresolved cases, including those of two journalists killed in Mali in 2013, continue to haunt the international community.
“The murders of these journalists led to the designation of November 2 as IDEI, yet their deaths remain unaddressed,” Apollos remarked. “Since 2017, attacks on journalists have only intensified, particularly against women.”
This IDEI commemoration, set to run through November 7, also coincides with the launch of UNESCO’s Global Repository of National and Regional Safety Mechanisms for Journalists, designed to streamline efforts to protect media personnel worldwide.
As the IDEI anniversary brings journalists, advocates, and officials together, it serves as a solemn reminder of the continued dangers journalists face and the ongoing global struggle to bring their killers to justice.
The IDEI observance traces its roots back to 2014 at the European Court of Human Rights and is a testament to the United Nations’ 2013 resolution, which established November 2 as a dedicated day for addressing violence against journalists.
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