International
Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
2 November
Over the past decade, more than 700 journalists have been
killed for bringing news and information to the public. Worryingly, only one in
ten cases committed against media workers over the past decade has led to a
conviction. This impunity emboldens the perpetrators of the crimes and at the
same time has a chilling effect on society including journalists themselves.
Impunity breeds impunity and feeds into a vicious cycle.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/68/163
at its 68th session in 2013 which proclaimed 2 November as the ‘International
Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists’. The Resolution urged
Member States to implement definite measures countering the present culture of
impunity. The date was chosen in commemoration of the assassination of two
French journalists in Mali on 2 November 2013.
This landmark resolution condemns all attacks and violence
against journalists and media workers. It also urges Member States to do their
utmost to prevent violence against journalists and media workers, to ensure
accountability, bring to justice perpetrators of crimes against journalists and
media workers, and ensure that victims have access to appropriate remedies. It
further calls upon States to promote a safe and enabling environment for
journalists to perform their work independently and without undue interference.
