End Impunity 2019

To speak about impunity for crimes against journalists is to speak about injustice, silence and institutional complicity with the killers. Impunity is to speak of corruption, of cases that go unreported, of fear, of censorship and of families without reparation. Impunity occurs when those who place a bomb under a journalist's car remain seated in the institutions of a state or on the boards of directors of a large company.

On 2 November, the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, we denounce the fact that only one in 10 crimes against media workers is investigated and expose those countries that are not investigating crimes against journalists and delivering justice. Impunity reigns and only by raising our voices together can we change this situation.

This year we are putting a specific emphasis on five countries: Philippines, Somalia, Perú, Palestine and Ukraine.

According to IFJ data, 1.064 journalists have been killed in the last 10 years; 30 so far in 2019. However, contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of these murders do not take place in war zones, but in the street or at home and in broad daylight. Moreover, according to UNESCO, 93% of victims were local journalists. When you are a journalist, picking up your children from school can be more dangerous than reporting in a war zone.

These cold-blooded murders of journalists aim to hide the truth and terrorise those who dare to reveal it. These murders not only terminate the life of the journalist; they also end the fundamental right to be informed and to know the truth. To kill a journalist and get away with it is to kill democracy.

Take action!

Demand accountability

Send letters to your own government or to the government of targeted countries holding them accountable for their impunity records. You can use our sample letters to:

Join us!

Sign up to the campaign to indicate that your union is supporting our actions. It will appear as such in our communications about the campaign and be listed on our affiliates' activity page.

A UN Convention on the Safety of Journalists

Support our call for an international instrument on the safety and independence of journalists and other media professionals

Rise up

Organise a march or a specific activity (conference, minute's silence, group picture holding the impunity poster) to show your solidarity. Take pictures of the activities; share them on your social media and with us.

Spread the word

Download the campaign poster in EN, ES, FR and use it during the campaign in your electronic signature, on your twitter account, your facebook page or your web site. Encourage all your members and their friends to download it, take pictures holding it and share them on facebook, post them on twitter and attach a brief message to the President or Prime Minister of your country!

Contact your newsroom

Contact your newsroom about publishing or broadcasting stories about impunity on 2 November or 23 November (Ampatuan massacre).

Tell us your story

Make a short video. If you know a colleague or a family member of a killed journalist in your country, we urge you to talk to them and ask them to make a two-minute video message about the need to secure justice for their loved ones which we can post on the IFJ website and share in our social networks. Send them to: communications@ifj.org