The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today said that the International Day against Impunity which is celebrated for the first time is a wake- up call for governments around the world to prevent and punish violence against journalists, thus help making journalism safer. The IFJ and its affiliates are taking part in the global event which is celebrated today to mark the second anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre in the Philippines of 23 November 2009 which claimed 32 lives of journalists and many other civilians.

"From Somalia to Sri Lanka, Mexico to The Philippines and Pakistan through Iraq and Eritrea, journalists continue to be put to sword in total impunity," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. "The overwhelming majority of victims are local and national journalists who are denied both the protection and justice by their own governments. Today, we are honouring their memory but also making a determined statement of intent to make the end of impunity the lasting legacy of their sacrifice."

The IFJ said in a letter to embassies of the most dangerous countries for journalists, including Iraq, Mexico, the Philippines, Pakistan and Somalia that the culture of impunity is the single biggest factor at the root of violence targeting media.

"Such crimes carry no risk of serious investigations and prosecutions, exposing in many cases the absence of the rule of law, whether due to police corruption, judicial incompetence or political indifference," said the IFJ letter.

The Federation's affiliates around the world echoed the message and have urged governments in their countries and regions to take urgent remedial action, pointing to cases of journalists' murders which remain unresolved in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Arab world and Latin America.

The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) highlighted the way the civil war has wrecked Somalia and continues to cost journalists' lives while their colleagues in countries such as Gambia and Eritrea fare no better. The affiliates in Asia Pacific focused on the need to achieve justice for killed journalists such as the victims and the Maguindanao massacre and Lasantha Wickeramatunga in Sri Lanka.In the Middle East and Arab world, where at least 30 journalists have died in 2011 most of them while covering the events of the Arab Spring, IFJ affiliates are calling for killings of journalists in Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, Egypt and Lebanon to stop and their perpetrators to face justice. The IFJ regional organisation in Latin America, FEPALC, is also demanding justice for killed journalists, focusing on Mexico and Honduras. The Colombian affiliate, FECOLPER, has arranged for a minute of silence in memory of killed journalists to be observed on Colombian broadcast media throughout the day.

Their European colleagues are also taking part in the activities to end impunity and to show solidarity with killed journalists and those forced into exile to save their lives. The main European event is taking place in London, co-sponsored by the IFJ, the National Union of Journalists of Great Britain and Ireland (NUJ) and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines. The focus of the event will be on the horror of the Maguindanao massacre in particular, and on the prevailing culture of impunity in the country, in general.

In the meantime, the Norwegian Union of Journalists is organising a debate in Oslo with exiled journalists to share experiences of their forced exile and their ongoing struggle to speak out for their less fortunate colleagues who were silenced for good.

On their part, IFJ affiliates in Russia and CIS countries are calling for successful prosecutions of killers of their colleagues, including Anna Politkovskaya in Russia, Georgy Gongadze in Ukraine and Elmar Huseynov in Azerbaijan.

"It is time to lift the shadow of impunity which has prevented these journalists' families and colleagues to get justice for their loved ones," added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. "Today's message is that the status quo is not an option in the face of the tragedy which continues to befall our colleagues."

For more information, please contact IFJ on + 32 2 235 22 07

The IFJ represents more than 600.000 journalists in 131 countries