In accordance with November 2 being the international day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, we reemphasize the importance of protection of journalists as a moral duty of the international community. Journalists have an important role when it comes to access to unfiltered truth.
Then United Nations has declared November 2nd as an international day to remind the world it is the collective duty of all countries to allow journalists to do what is expected from them in the peace of mind and away from unnecessary complications.
We view the responsibility of protecting journalists as a legal obligation of the international community. Journalists have risked their lives to travel to warzones, including the Middle East; or in Europe to cover the flow of refugees and displaced persons from Syria and Iraq towards European countries, or in Africa where extremist groups like Boko Haram or like minds abduct children from schools and train them as child soldiers to tell the world how these crimes are inhumane and need to be stopped. Unfortunately; the international community has failed its obligation to keep these journalists away from harm’s way, and many have lost lives, or still are under scrutiny by governments of places they visit.
Many journalists face death threats from groups they try to unveil their ugly truth about, many have fallen killed, and many more journalists have stopped traveling to these areas due to safety concerns. These unbelievable conditions are perfect examples of how much more needs to be done to protect these individuals from harm’s way.
We wish every honest journalist out there success in covering the ugly truth about crimes they unveil, and as government officials and country statesmen/women to protect the rights of journalists.
