"The right of journalists to work in a secure environment, without being intimidated, harassed, attacked, abused or murdered, is of fundamental importance to freedom of expression globally. Yet, in many countries around the world, journalism has become a deadly occupation and those who practise it o
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ften risk their lives to inform the public. This is especially the case for investigative reporters whose work is vital for the functioning of democratic societies. This chapter examines the main challenges that investigative reporters face by focusing on three case studies that illustrate the threats to safe journalism practice and the broad impact of violence and impunity for crimes against journalists on press freedom." (Abstract)
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"In Mexico and Honduras, journalists face violence from state and non-state actors and almost complete impunity. Given a lack of effective state protection, some resort to alternative means of (self-)protection and justice-seeking. Via analysis of 67 interviews with journalists and protection actors
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, this article shows how many reporters use journalistic and profession-specific forms of self-protection and analyses their benefits and challenges. It adopts a novel analytical approach building on insights from diverse areas of research on people’s responses to violence and insecurity. Scholarship on civilian responses to armed conflict offers a relevant framework for understanding self-protection measures. Although measures such as “avoidance” and “accommodation” of violent actors are a means of survival and short-term physical protection, they bring significant new risks. Above all, they can undermine trust from the public and within the profession and the usefulness of journalism for society. Drawing on literature on the protection of human rights defenders, the analytical framework is extended to show how some journalists also engage in broader self-protection strategies around transforming their work. These strategies combine protection and professionalisation and aim to boost journalists’ internal and external support and credibility." (Abstract)
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"This report analyses the model of a Public Inquiry - or a similarly independent process such as a parliamentary inquiry - that can run in parallel with a criminal investigation but has the broader remit of investigating the circumstances that led to murder, and the political climate within which it
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happened. To this end, it will explore the efficacy of the Maltese Public Inquiry model as a good practice. It will highlight how it - or elements of it - can be followed by other countries in order to combat impunity for other cases of violence against journalists and, ultimately, prevent such cases. In particular, this report will identify the elements that allowed the Inquiry to function independently from the State, and from the ongoing criminal investigation. This report will also look at the recommendations made by the Public Inquiry and some of the steps required to implement them." (Introduction)
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"In 2020-2021, UNESCO recorded a total of 117 killings of journalists worldwide, a high number in absolute terms, but a 25% drop from the previous two-year period, when UNESCO recorded a total of 156 killings. This biennium recorded the lowest death toll compared to any other reporting period since
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the first Director-General's report in 2008. The year 2021 shows the lowest annual death toll in 14 years with 55 deaths, representing a further decrease in killings compared to the previous record low of 57 killings in 2019. However, it is important to highlight that, although outside of the reporting period, as of 30 September 2022, according to the “UNESCO Observatory of killed journalists”, a total of 66 journalists have been killed in 2022." (Executive summary)
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"The 2022 Global Impunity Index found that no one has been held to account for nearly 80% of 263 journalist murders over the past 10 years worldwide. CPJ seeks justice for these slain journalists, including full and timely investigations and the convictions of those who carry out and order the murde
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rs." (About this report)
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"The purpose of this study is to assess the threats and supporting mechanisms present in the Georgian media environment in 2022. Observation of the media environment, similar to the previous year’s research, was based on the evaluation of the participants involved in the research and further compa
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rative analysis." (Abstract)
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"For this report we analyzed hundreds of cases of journalists who were murdered in reprisal for their work. What stands out is their courage to report misdemeanor by those in power despite the clear and often well-known risks this entails for them. What stands out as well is the lack of capacity in
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so many countries across the world to better their record when it comes to journalist murders. This is tied to the fact that addressing impunity requires addressing systemic failures. As murders of journalists often reveal informal power structures, solving a murder entails more than implementing an independent and thorough investigation. The collusion of power, especially between organized crime and political actors, seems to be one of the main challenges to improving the record on impunity. This is clearly illustrated by the consequences of the investigation into the murder of young Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak. The investigation - aided by journalistic research - exposed a network of corrupt people in power involved in the killing, leading to the arrest of numerous judges, prosecutors and high-ranking police officials. In this paper, we conclude that we see merit in changing our narrative: instead of focusing so much on the cyclical effects of impunity, we should focus our discussions and efforts on ways in which we can address the root causes of journalist murders. We believe this can set much needed change in motion. To this end, we have identified several avenues to justice in this report. There is no silver bullet to solve the complex issue of impunity, but there are common threads in the cases that have been solved, which we believe we should take as a starting point." (Abstract, page 2)
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"This chapter aims to examine additional factors associated with populism, disinformation and online harassment of journalists in an environment of impunity, though the relationship between digital communication and populism has been analysed since the late 1990s. It considers strategies that have b
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een utilised or suggested to combat online harassment of journalists on the path forward. Online harassment of women journalists has been documented more frequently than of male journalists, who often are attacked because of their coverage. Online harassment has risen in recent years via comment sections under online news articles barraging journalists’ emails and social media accounts with defamatory, threatening, demeaning, or even pornographic material. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe recommends that countries consider prosecuting the online harassment of journalists through existing harassment laws. One cross-country study found that online harassment disrupts routine practices and the extent that women journalists can interact with audiences." (Abstract)
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"When press freedom groups began a campaign against impunity, they set out to gain justice in individual cases of journalists murdered for their work. Did a global norm evolve in the process? Among the rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19, is notable for its ele
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gance and simplicity. It states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart informa-tion and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” It would seem elemental that this right cannot be exercised in practice when those who express critical views are systematically murdered with impunity. Yet between 1992 and 2020, 870 journalists were murdered in direct reprisal for their work. Each of these killings was more than a murder; it was an effective form of censorship that deprived whole societies of essential information and protected powerful figures from the scrutiny that would make them accountable to the people." (Abstract)
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"Overall, the situation of press freedom in Somalia between May 2020 and May 2021 has continued to experience a sharp and unfortunate decline. In total, FESOJ recorded the murder of 2 journalists – as a resulted of targeted killing, 52 arrests, assault and injury to 9 reporters in the line of duty
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, as well as threats, intimidation and government influenced firing of at-least 71 journalists across the country. As the country gears for long-awaited elections, the impact of the political stalemate on the practice of journalism has been negative – with more violence and threats inflicted on media workers. In 2021, based on data collected by FESOJ, state authorities such as the police and the national intelligence service, more commonly known as NISA account for the majority of the violence, threats and arbitrary arrests against journalists. The 2021 data shows 51% (71 cases) increase in physical attacks, threats and intimidation compared to 2020 in which FESOJ recorded violence and threats against 47 journalists and media workers." (Executive summary)
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"Definitions of impunity regarding crimes against journalists have thus far been too narrow. Therefore, we propose a new approach to understanding impunity as also being grounded in journalists’ lived reality and perceptions to better understand the complexity and breadth of impunity. It is based
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on the findings obtained through a set of semi-structured interviews with 40 editors and senior journalists in five countries and expressed in a new typology of impunity. We argue that what we call the ‘Politics of Impunity’ is a policy of governance whereby impunity is used as a political tool by the state and state-sponsored actors to achieve journalistic self-censorship. This is done through the deliberate deprivation of private autonomy brought about by the enforced exile of journalists into a ‘space of exception’ where they are both within and beyond the law. The exercise of the ‘Politics of Impunity’ in an increasing number of states creates an environment that only allows for politically compliant journalism." (Abstract)
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"This report identifies five major challenges for developing national plans for safety of journalists and how stakeholders are tackling them. The points addressed concern gaining engagement around safety of journalists by state actors, uniting and focusing efforts of disparate stakeholders into a du
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rable, well-anchored structure, increasing commitment to security and protection by the media sector, integrating a gender perspective throughout safety mechanisms and supporting stronger tools for combating impunity. In the face of increasing threats that journalists encounter from state and non-state actors, collaborative efforts are making headway to improving safety." (Back cover)
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"For the fifth year in a row, Somalia tops the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) Global Impunity Index on countries where those who kill journalists escape prosecution. The Somali authorities rarely investigate cases of killings or attacks on journalists, media outlets and critics. At least
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eight journalists were killed in south central Somalia and Puntland since 2017 when president Farmajo took office. Four of the journalists were killed in 2018 and two in 2019. Another journalist survived – albeit with serious injuries – an attempt on his life in 2018 when an improvised explosive device (IED) was fitted to his car and detonated. Aside from two cases including one in which a policeman who killed a journalist in Mogadishu in 2018 was convicted in absentia, no one has been held accountable for the killings or the attempted killings of the other journalists. The policeman remains at large." (Executive summary)
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"This International Media Support report explores criminal justice and human rights mechanisms to protect journalists, media workers and human rights advocates in an effort to combat impunity in The Gambia. It is the culmination of an innovative approach to hold perpetrators of attacks, killings and
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disappearances of those exercising their right to free expression to account and accentuates the importance of robust, collaborative support to protect journalists and the commitment to end impunity. The heart of this report recognizes that responding to threats and attacks against journalists means being prepared to scrutinize investigations and the laws that govern them." (Back cover)
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"The period between 2014 through the end of 2018 has seen 495 journalists killed, according to UNESCO data, which represents an 18% increase in the number of killings as compared to the preceding 5-year period (2009-2013). Based on the number of killings, the most dangerous regions for journalists a
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re the Arab States region, the Latin America and Caribbean region and the Asia and the Pacific region. Across all regions the vast majority of killings were of local journalists, rather than foreign reporters. The five-year period saw an inversion in the proportion of journalists being killed outside of conflict zones. While in 2014 a majority of journalist killings occurred in conflict regions, in 2017 and 2018 more killings (55% in both years) occurred outside conflict regions. This trend reflects the changing nature of violence against journalists, who were increasingly silenced for reporting on issues of corruption, crime and politics. Although the vast majority of journalists killed are men, killings of women journalists almost doubled relative to the previous 5-year period (24 female journalists were killed in 2009-2013, compared to 46 in 2014-2018). The issue of impunity remains widespread, with only 131 cases of journalists’ killings reported by Member States as being resolved since 2006, representing an overall impunity rate of 88%." (Executive summary, page 8)
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"Pakistan’s journalists confront fatal safety risks in the line of their duty and are at the mercy of various types of pressure and extremist groups that threaten, kidnap and even murder them with almost total impunity. Despite the growing violence against journalists in Pakistan, there is a deart
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h of national academic studies that offer insights into threats to journalists’ safety and the country’s rampant culture of impunity. Therefore, using the system theory, this study explores Pakistan’s issues of impunity and threats to journalists’ safety in conflict and non-conflict situations. The study also analyses the country’s laws for the protection of journalists’ rights to freedom of expression, access to information, online and offline safety, fair trial and equal pay-scales. In addition, the study unpacks the journalists’ lived experiences of safety risks in Pakistan and their perceptions regarding the country’s culture of impunity. To achieve these objectives, this study uses the qualitative methods of document review and indepth interviews (face-to-face). Moreover, the study uses thematic analysis to analyse the gathered data." (Abstract)
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