Journalist killings: Compromising safety for a story
Freedom of the press is essential for maintaining a democracy, but to uphold such freedoms, journalist’s safety must be ensured. Across the world, journalists continue to risk their lives to expose inequalities, injustice and hold people accountable for their actions. However, this job comes with increasing levels of danger and even death. Between 2006 and 2020, over 1,200 journalists were killed merely for doing their job.
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| Credit: The Independent. |
These
murders are an extreme form of censorship, allowing oppressors to escape from
justice. In 2021 alone, the International Press Institute totalled 45
journalists killed. The US Press Freedom Tracker documented 593 assaults in
total against journalists the year prior.
Human
rights laws still apply to journalists with the intention to protect them;
journalists are perceived as civilians in conflict zones, so a deliberate
attack on them is a violation of international law. However, those committing
the crimes are rarely caught or held to account. In 90% of cases in which a
journalist is murdered, the responsible party goes unpunished. Without a united
judicial response, the killings continue to grow.
Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine has seen violence against journalists rise, with seven dead
already. Six of those killed ‘were targeted deliberately by Russian forces’
according to Reporters Without Borders.
Journalists
are also subject to threats – kidnappings, torture, online abuse – but these
threats often take an even darker turn. The murder of Dom Phillips, a veteran British
journalist, in Brazil’s Javari Valley last month showed the chilling reality of
reporting information that has been deliberately and repeatedly hidden. Phillips
was reporting on the illegal fishing, poaching and crimes in the rainforest region
before his murder. Police in the area have downplayed all links to organised
crime, but the journalist’s work with Indigenous activists to unveil the truth
suggests otherwise.
In
countries with weak and corrupt governments, who have an exponential amount of
wealth, the killing of journalists is often higher. With money to cover up organised
crime and shut down any unwanted information being brought to light, these
countries are immensely dangerous for journalists. The Committee to Protect
Journalists (CPJ) ranked the most dangerous countries for journalist in 2021: Afghanistan
at number five, then South Sudan, then Iraq, then Syria, with Somalia highlighted
as the most dangerous country.
Mexico,
ranked sixth by the CPJ, is also a particularly dangerous area for journalists,
with 12 killed already this year alone. Earlier last week, US lawmakers
introduced a resolution condemning the violence towards journalists. The
country ranks as the most dangerous place for journalists to work outside war
zones, with a lack of justice for the murdered media workers.
US
lawmakers called on Mexico to commit to investigations into violence directed
at journalists and assist state bodies in improving protection measures for the
media. Mexico’s President, López Obrador, has come under fire previously for
his hostility towards journalists with media watchdog Reporters Without Borders
alleging the President referred to the press as ‘biased scum.’
Advice
to media organisations is to brief their journalists and ensure they’re
prepared for the conflict zones. Journalists must adopt safety protocols and receive
proper training, with resources to protect themselves. Journalists that have
survived attacks or threats often suffer long-term psychological ramifications.
Others change profession. A rare few commit even further to their role as a watchdog,
seeking to bring their attackers to justice.
At
the end of the day, world leaders need to commit to protecting journalist to
ensure our access to the truth remains intact.