Between January 2019 and June 2022, the agency documented 759 individual attacks on journalists, including five murders, during 89 elections in 70 countries..
Most of these attacks – including beatings and arbitrary arrests – were carried out by police and security forces.
Attacked from all sides
The findings are in a report published in conjunction with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, held annually on November 2.
It examines the role of law enforcement in ensuring the safety of journalists during public demonstrations and elections.
From January 2015 to August 2021, UNESCO recorded incidents in at least 101 countries in which journalists were attacked while covering protests, public demonstrations and riots. At least thirteen people were killed in such contexts.
Journalists were injured when police fired non-lethal ammunition such as rubber bullets or pepper balls. Many others were arrested, beaten and in some cases humiliated.
“At the same time, a significant number of physical and verbal attacks were committed by demonstrators and people attending the protests,” the report said.
Keeping the truth alive
In his message for the day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres underlined the risks journalists face in fulfilling their crucial role in upholding and enabling democracy and holding power to account.
“Today and every day, we are grateful to the journalists and all media professionals who risk their health and lives to keep us informed and the truth alive,” he said.
Citing UNESCO, he said at least 88 journalists have been killed in the line of duty in 2022, marking a sharp increase from previous years.
“The The current conflict in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories is taking a terrible toll about journalists,” he added.
Better safeguards are needed
Moreover, he noted that the majority of journalists killed are not war reporters. In fact, they work in countries where there is peace and investigate issues such as corruption, human trafficking, human rights violations and environmental issues.
“I am deeply disturbed by these figures and by the increase in all kinds of threats against journalists,” he said.
“The detention of journalists is at an all-time high. Online harassment of journalists, especially women, is used as a tool to silence them. We need better safeguards to defend the journalists who keep us informed.”
The Secretary-General called on all states to prevent violence against journalists, provide them with a safe environment in which to do their work, bring to justice those who commit crimes against them and ensure support for victims and survivors.
Protests and polls
UNESCO has long advocated for the safety and protection of journalists and anyone working in the media, and the report includes a number of recommendations for law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and media outlets covering public meetings.
For example, the parties are encouraged to establish “a good and professional relationship” in advance so that they have a clear understanding of their respective roles, responsibilities, potential issues and responses.
LEAs are urged to facilitate journalists’ work, such as identifying a press area or “demarcated media perimeter” that will provide them with a safe vantage point, although they understand that journalists are not required to remain there.
Particular attention should also be paid to the specific threats and risks faced by women journalists, “and it is important to take a gender-sensitive approach when considering measures to address the safety of journalists, especially online.”
“Regular training should be provided to senior LEA management in working with media organisations, particularly during election periods, and to officials working on the ground during public meetings, particularly in facilitating secure media reporting,” it said report.