UNITED NATIONS: The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has reported a surge in journalist fatalities, particularly in conflict zones like the Middle East. UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, disclosed that 2023 saw a significant rise in journalist deaths, with 38 casualties recorded in conflict-affected regions compared to 28 in 2022 and 20 in 2021.
The ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, particularly in Palestine, Lebanon, and Israel, have contributed to the majority of these fatalities. Additionally, journalists faced risks in other conflict zones, including Afghanistan, Cameroon, Syria, and Ukraine.
Azoulay stressed the urgent need for action to uphold international law and protect journalists from being targeted. She called upon regional and international actors to ensure the safety and independence of journalists in their profession.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need to bring perpetrators to justice, create a culture of safety in newsrooms, and safeguard the public’s right to information.
While there has been a decline in killings outside conflict zones, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, challenges persist with widespread damage to media infrastructure, physical attacks, detentions, and denial of access to reporting sites.
According to CPJ, every report of a journalist or media worker being killed, wounded, or going missing during the war is being looked into. This has resulted in the deadliest time for journalists since the organization started collecting data in 1992.
According to CPJ’s preliminary findings, as of March 7, at least 95 journalists and media professionals had been killed since the Gaza-Israel war started on October 7. This number is greater than the UNESCO statistics, with 1,200 deaths occurring in Israel and over 30,000 Palestinian casualties in Gaza and the West Bank.
CPJ also highlighted the risks faced by journalists in conflict zones, including casualties in the Israel-Gaza conflict. They called for independent investigations into attacks on journalists to hold perpetrators accountable.
Despite these challenges, journalists continue to risk their lives to report from conflict zones, underscoring the importance of ensuring their safety and protecting press freedom worldwide.
