The lack of justice in hundreds of murders of journalists around the world is one of the greatest threats to press freedom today, says CPJ in a special report released ahead of the UN International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
The lack of justice in hundreds of murders of journalists around the world is one of the greatest threats to press freedom today. While international attention to the issue has grown over the past decade, there has been little progress in bringing down rates of impunity. States will have to demonstrate far more political will to implement international commitments to make an impact on the high rates of targeted violence that journalists routinely face.
It isn’t just one story that ends with a journalist’s death; a climate of intimidation builds. If no one is punished, killers are emboldened, and violence repeats. Journalists have no choice but to censor themselves or even flee into exile. Targeted attacks on the media have kept the world from understanding the full dimension of violence in Syria, drug trafficking in Mexico, militant influence in Pakistan, and corruption in Russia.
2. Measuring Progress Against Stubborn Reality
4. Steps That Work and Those That Don’t
5. Building Pressure, Enforcing Compliance
Click here for CPJ’s Recommendations, Appendices to the report and a Slideshow on “Seeking the Masterminds”.
