Over A Thousand Reporters Murdered Globally – UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Society and Cultural Organization has revealed that over one thousand journalists around the globe were murdered while carrying out their duties in the last 12 years..

This was contained in a UNESCO report ( Intensified Attacks, New Defences) released on Friday To commemorate the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI), slated for the 2nd of November, 2019.

According to the Director General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, the world body ” holds to account all those who put journalists at risk, all those who kill journalists, and all those who do nothing to stop this violence.

“The end of a journalist’s life should never be the end of the quest for truth,” he said.

THE WHISTLER reports that based on the UNESCO’s findings, almost 90% of those who had a hand in the killing of 1,109 journalists around the world from 2006 to 2018 have not been convicted.

The report states that there is an 18% increase in killings of journalists in the past five years (2014-2018) compared to the previous 5-year period.

Furthermore, it showed that the Arab States constituted the deadliest part of the world for journalists (30% of global killings), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean region (26 %) and the Asia and Pacific States (24%).

UNESCO’s twitter handle @UNESCO reads : “When a journalist searches for truth, death often finds them instead.

“In 12 years, over 1000 journalists have been killed.

“In war zones. But also at home. On the corner of the street. On the corner of your street.

“They were killed in cold blood. Deliberately. With impunity. To silence topics some wanted to keep hidden.

“9 out of 10 cases are unresolved

“2 November is the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.

“It is up to all of us, citizens, to help protect journalists, so that they may continue to inform us. Let’s react. Let’s share.”

Ahead of the November 2 event, UNESCO will be launching the #KeepTruthAlive global communication campaign whose objective is geared towards bringing to limelight the various plights that journalists go through.