Secretary-General's Message on the Int Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists 2021

Message on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists by UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.

Last year, according to UNESCO, 62 journalists were killed just for doing their jobs. Many lost their lives to conflict. But in recent years, the number of media workers killed while investigating corruption, trafficking, and other human rights violations, has risen.

Almost 9 out of 10 of these killings go unpunished. And journalists face countless other threats – from kidnapping and torture to detention and harassment. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the shadow pandemic of misinformation, have demonstrated that access to information can be a matter of life and death. Threatening that access by targeting journalists sends a disturbing message that undermines democracy and the rule of law.

Today, on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, we call for justice for journalists killed in the line of duty and commemorate their legacy and achievements. I urge all Member States to stand in solidarity with journalists, and to investigate and prosecute crimes against them with the full force of the law.