World Press Freedom Day

For the second consecutive year, conflict zones have proven dangerous for journalists and media workers, with 2024 seeing at least 68 deaths in the line of duty, according to new data from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ). More than 60 per cent of these killings occurred in countries experiencing conflict – the highest percentage in over a decade. "Reliable information is vital in conflict situations to help affected populations and to enlighten the world," said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “It is unacceptable that journalists pay with their lives for this work. I call on all States to step up and ensure the protection of media workers, in accordance with international law,” she added. Alarming trends The report highlights that 42 journalists were killed in conflict zones this year, including 18 in Palestine, which recorded the highest toll. Other countries such as Ukraine, Colombia, Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, and Sudan also saw mul...

Between January 1 and December 1 2021, at least 108 journalists were imprisoned, totalling a record number of 293 jailed journalists across the World. The CPJ's 2021 prison census found that the number of reporters jailed for their work hit a new global record of 293, up from a revised total of 280 in 2020.