International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists

The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, observed globally under the auspices of the United Nations, is more than a date on the calendar — it is a moral reminder of the price of truth, the fragility of press freedom, and the collective failure of societies when crimes against journalists remain unpunished.

– Heramba Nath, (herambanath2222@gmail.com)

Every year on the 2nd of November, the world pauses to remember those who lost their lives while seeking and speaking the truth. The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, observed globally under the auspices of the United Nations, is more than a date on the calendar — it is a moral reminder of the price of truth, the fragility of press freedom, and the collective failure of societies when crimes against journalists remain unpunished.

The day was proclaimed in 2013 by the United Nations General Assembly, marking the brutal assassination of two French journalists, Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, in Mali. That tragedy became a symbol of a wider crisis — a world in which journalists are killed, tortured, imprisoned, or intimidated simply for performing their duty, and where justice seldom follows. According to UNESCO’s data, more than 1,700 journalists were killed worldwide between 2006 and 2024. Even more alarming is the revelation that nearly nine out of ten of those killings have gone unpunished. This chilling statistic reflects a global epidemic of impunity that corrodes the very foundation of democratic life.

The essence of this day is not only to mourn but to demand accountability. A society that cannot protect its journalists cannot protect its citizens either. When truth-tellers are silenced, corruption multiplies in shadows, injustice deepens, and public trust dies a quiet death. Journalism is not merely a profession; it is the voice of the voiceless, the conscience of a nation, and the watchdog of democracy. To attack a journalist is to strike at the heart of transparency and truth itself.

The theme for 2025 focuses on “AI-facilitated Gender-Based Violence against Women Journalists”, a grim reminder that the threats faced by media professionals are no longer confined to physical spaces. The digital world has created new arenas of abuse, where technology itself becomes a weapon against truth. Women journalists across the globe face relentless online harassment, cyberstalking, and gendered threats that aim to silence them through fear. Artificial intelligence now amplifies that risk, enabling deepfakes, doctored images, and orchestrated misinformation campaigns. These attacks are not merely personal; they are institutional attempts to dismantle the integrity of journalism.

The danger is equally acute in regions like India, where the press remains vibrant yet vulnerable. India’s journalists operate in a complex web of political pressures, social divisions, and digital toxicity. From threats on the ground to vilification online, they face increasing hostility, particularly when reporting on sensitive subjects like corruption, human rights, or environmental exploitation. Several journalists in recent years have been attacked, arrested, or harassed under vague laws, while the perpetrators of violence often remain unidentified or unpunished. The silence of justice in such cases speaks volumes about the state of accountability.

For Assam and the Northeastern region, this observance holds a particularly profound meaning. The Northeasthas produced some of India’s most courageous reporters, who have braved insurgency, ethnic conflict, and political censorship to tell the stories of their people. Yet, many of them operate in fragile environments without institutional protection. Local journalists have faced intimidation, threats from multiple sides, and the daunting challenge of reporting in conflict zones with limited safety mechanisms. The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists thus resonates strongly here, reminding the region that free journalism is essential to peace, development, and justice.

The issue of impunity goes beyond individual killings; it reflects systemic failure. It thrives where the rule of law is weak, where power is unchecked, and where the judiciary is slow or silent. Ending impunity requires political will, legal reform, and cultural change. It requires governments to recognise that press freedom is not a threat but a guarantee of democratic stability. It requires police and judicial systems to act swiftly, transparently, and independently in cases of violence against journalists. It requires the public to understand that defending a journalist’s right to speak is defending one’s own right to know.

Technology, while it has created new challenges, can also become part of the solution. Digital platforms can be harnessed to document threats, trace attacks, and mobilise public pressure for justice. Educational institutions can integrate media literacy and journalist safety into their curricula. Civil society can form watchdog networks that track cases of violence and impunity. Media organisations can invest in security training and mental health support for their staff. Every layer of society has a role to play, for impunity cannot be fought in isolation.

The world’s response to crimes against journalists must go beyond symbolic observances. It must translate into laws that protect press freedom, into swift judicial action, and into a culture that respects dissent. The message must be unambiguous — no crime against a journalist should go unanswered, and no intimidation should succeed in silencing truth. Every act of violence against the press is an attack on public conscience.

As we observe this day, we also remember those who paid with their lives for our right to information. Their courage should not be reduced to statistics. They were people who believed that truth matters, even when it costs everything. Their unfinished stories remind us that journalism is not only about reporting facts but also about bearing witness to humanity.

For India, and for Assam in particular, the way forward lies in strengthening democratic resilience by protecting those who keep its conscience alive. There must be robust state-level mechanisms to investigate attacks on journalists, legal reforms to protect press freedom, and collaboration between media houses, police, and human rights bodies to ensure that no voice is silenced without consequence. Awareness must extend beyond media circles to reach every citizen who consumes news, because the right to know is as sacred as the right to speak.

True freedom of the press is not achieved when journalists can speak; it is achieved when they can speak without fear. The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists is not merely a tribute — it is a demand for justice, a plea for accountability, and a declaration that truth must never be buried under intimidation. The protection of journalists is not a favour granted by governments; it is a duty owed by society to itself.

The world may honour this day once a year, but its spirit must guide every day of our collective conscience. A nation that safeguards its journalists safeguards its democracy. And a democracy that protects its truth-tellers protects its soul.