MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd November, 2021) On Tuesday the world observes the annual International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists to draw attention to crimes against those employed in media which go unpunished, rampant across the world.
In December 2013, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring November 2 the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists in commemoration of the assassination of two French journalists in Mali on November 2, 2013.
The landmark resolution condemns any attacks and violence against journalists and others employed in media, as well as urging UN General Assembly member states to do their utmost to prevent violence against them, ensure accountability, bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice, and ensure that victims have access to appropriate resources.
The document also urges the promotion of a safe and enabling environment for journalists to perform their work independently and without undue interference.
According to UNESCO data, more than 1,200 journalists have been killed for their activity between 2006 and 2020, with nine out of ten cases in which the perpetrators went unpunished.
Journalists also face countless threats ranging from kidnapping, torture and other physical attacks to harassment, especially in the digital sphere. Threats of violence and attacks against journalists, in particular, create an atmosphere of fear for media employees, preventing the free circulation of information, opinions and ideas for all citizens.
In 2020 alone, a total of 32 journalists were killed, 65 others went missing, and 34 were imprisoned across the world, according to the New-York based Committee to Protect Journalists non-profit.
Twenty more journalists have been killed since early 2021 to the present day.
One of the latest high-profile cases to strike the journalistic community was earlier this year, when Peter De Vries, a well-known Dutch crime reporter, was killed in downtown Amsterdam. The famous journalist and tv presenter was shot on July 6 after being a guest on the RTL channel's Boulevard news program. He died of his wounds on July 15 at the age of 64. The Dutch authorities have since arrested two suspects in the attack.
For the Russian journalist community, the year of 2014 was the most tragic, as several of their own were killed while on duty. Rossiya Segodnya photo correspondent Andrei Stenin, Channel One cameraman Anatoly Klyan, Rossiya TV channel's Igor Kornelyuk, and Anton Voloshin were killed while covering the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
In memory of the journalists who gave their lives while performing their professional duty and in the name of freedom of speech, Russian media have established numerous competitions and awards, including the Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest and the Anna Politkovskaya Kamerton prize, to celebrate achievements in protecting human rights and press freedom.
