The number of murders of journalists around the world increased significantly in 2022, after a decrease in the previous three years, according to the United Nations culture agency UNESCO.
In the report on freedom of expression 2021-2022 recently published, UNESCO noted the deaths of 86 journalists last year, which represents one every four days, compared to 55 murders in 2021.
The findings highlight the serious risks and vulnerabilities that journalists continue to face in the course of their work, the agency said.
"Authorities must redouble their efforts to stop these crimes and ensure that their perpetrators are punished because indifference is an important factor in this climate of violence," UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said, describing the findings as "alarming." .
no safe spaces
UNESCO noted that almost half of the journalists killed were attacked while off duty; some of them while traveling, or in parking lots or other public places where they were not assigned, while others were in their homes at the time of their murder.
The report warned that this implies that "there are no safe spaces for journalists, even in their spare time."
Despite the progress in the last five years, the rate of impunity for the murders of journalists continues to be "surprisingly high" at 86 percent, the agency said, while noting that fighting impunity continues as a pressing commitment in the that international cooperation should be further mobilized.
In addition to being murdered, journalists in 2022 were also victims of other forms of violence, including forced disappearances, kidnappings, arbitrary detentions, legal harassment, and digital violence, particularly against women.
The UNESCO study highlighted the challenges for journalists, noting that the militarization of defamation laws, cyber laws and anti-"fake news" legislation are being used as a means to limit freedom of expression and create an environment toxic for journalists to operate.
Mexico deadliest country for journalists
UNESCO pointed out that Latin America and the Caribbean were the deadliest for journalists in 2022 with 44 murders, more than half of all those killed worldwide.
The agency specified that the deadliest countries were Mexico, with 19 murders, Ukraine with 10 and Haiti with nine. Asia and the Pacific recorded 16 murders, while 11 were killed in Eastern Europe.
While the number of journalists killed in countries in conflict rose to 23 in 2022, up from 20 the year before, the global increase was mainly due to killings in countries not in conflict. This number nearly doubled from 35 cases in 2021 to 61 in 2022, representing three-quarters of all murders last year.
Some of the reasons journalists were killed were due to reprisals for reporting on organized crime, armed conflict, or the rise of extremism. Others were killed for covering sensitive topics such as corruption, environmental crimes, abuse of power and protests, UNESCO noted.
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