Marking International Day to End Impunity in Crimes against Journalists

The Community of Democracies (CoD) recognizes that widespread violence against journalists and impunity in those cases constitute one of the greatest threats to press freedom. Joining together to tackle this problem is imperative to promote robust, healthy democratic societies. 

As a first step, the Community is marking the second International Day to End Impunity in Crimes against Journalists with our own commitment to work to reduce impunity rates.

Journalists are deliberately targeted and killed every year in high numbers, and the perpetrators escape justice in the vast majority of cases. Freedom of expression and our collective right to informaton and civil discourse is at immense risk so long as these rates of impunity go unnaddressed. 

In recent years, the global community has recognized the urgency of the situation. The UN Security Council passed a historic resolution in May, which followed on several UN initiatives, including the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists, two resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Council, and another by the UN General Assembly. 

Many CoD members sponsored these initiatives. Now is the time for taking concrete steps. 

We urge each country to mark today with an introspective review of their own record of solving the murders of journalists. Progress is not only possible, but essential.