International Day for the end of impunity for crimes against journalists
Today, November 2nd, 2018, it is the United Nations International Day for the end of impunity for crimes against journalists. One journalist is killed every week in pursuit of his/her profession. Too many of those crimes remain unpunished. A mass of criminal keeps threatening, harassing, attacking and even killing the medias’ workers, in order to make them remain silent. In circa 93% of the cases, the criminals are unreproved.
This notion of impunity damages the whole society and is a threat to human rights, to peacebuilding, and to freedom of speech. Indeed, media workers are afraid, and can not practice their profession as they are supposed to. Instead of creating a world of transparency, freedom, and peace, as journalism should do, the impunity creates a society of fear, which leads to censure, self-censure and limits the freedom of speech.
Be a journalist can be a life-threatening profession because some individuals, groups or organization wish to silence them. The United Nations creates this special day, in memory to every killed, imprisoned or harassed journalist, and aims to urge governments and State Members to counter the present culture of impunity. Let us fight for the dignity and the life of our messenger.
BY Elise Giroud