On 3 May 1993, the UN General Assembly proclaimed an international day for press freedom. This day is meant to remind world governments that they need to respect their commitment to press freedom. The IFJ deplores the fact that freedom of expression is far from acting as a driver for other human rights and that press freedom is clearly taking a step backwards.
Journalists in Ukraine are still under fire: They need our solidarity. Ukraine became the deadliest country for journalists in 2022 with 12 colleagues killed in the course of their work, according to the IFJ’s Killed List, and the needs are immense. Ukrainian journalists need our support more than ever, and this is only possible with your support and solidarity. Please donate to the IFJ/EFJ Safety Fund for Journalists in Ukraine.
Women reporting conflicts: Changing the narrative, staying safe
From covering wars to protest movements, women journalists working in conflict zones take immense risks in the name of freedom of information, from military attacks and threats to police intimidation, surveillance and systematic gender-based violence. Their safety is regularly put at risk, and many have developed their own tactics to stay safe.
End Impunity: A binding legal instrument to fight impunity
Despite many protocols, guidelines and proposals, journalists still face a daily threat – and impunity continues to make the situation worse. Nine in every ten killings of a journalist remains in impunity. To mark the International Day to End Impunity for crimes committed against journalists on 2 November, the IFJ is calling on governments, across the world, journalists and media groups to support the adoption of a UN Convention on the safety and independence of journalists and other media professionals.
The IFJ is gravely concerned about the impact of Assange’s continued detention on media freedom and the rights of all journalists globally. The US pursuit of Assange against the public’s right to know poses a grave threat to the fundamental tenets of democracy, which are becoming increasingly fragile worldwide. Irrespective of personal views on Assange, his extradition will have a chilling effect, with all journalists and media workers at risk.
Hundreds of journalists are imprisoned and on a daily basis journalists are attacked, beaten, detained, harassed and threatened. It is this – and a growing frustration with a lack of action and, in too many cases, a lack of will to tackle the crisis of impunity - which has driven the IFJ to launch this campaign for an International Convention dedicated to the protection of journalists and media professionals.
