By Joke Kujenya
CRIMES AGAINST journalists continue to go largely unpunished, with 85 percent of cases remaining uninvestigated and unresolved, a level described as unacceptable by United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that he made the statement in a message to mark World Press Freedom Day 2026 observed annually on May 3, highlighting the importance of press freedom and the safety of journalists worldwide.
Guterres said press freedom remained a key pillar of democracy, noting that the media served as a public watchdog in society.
He recalled that the 1991 Windhoek Declaration strongly emphasised media freedom and led to the United Nations dedicating the day to defending and strengthening press freedom globally.
He warned that economic pressures, emerging technologies and deliberate information manipulation were placing press freedom under unprecedented strain.
“When access to reliable information erodes, mistrust takes root.
“When public debate is distorted, social cohesion weakens.
“And when journalism is undermined, crises become far more difficult to prevent and resolve.
“All freedom depends on press freedom. Without it, there can be no human rights, no sustainable development, and no peace,” he said.
Guterres called for stronger protection of journalists and efforts to ensure a world where truth and those who reported it were safe. He said journalists often became the first casualties in conflict as they risked their lives to report events.
“People often say that in war, truth is the first casualty.
“But far too frequently, the first casualties are the journalists who risk everything to report that truth, not only in war, but wherever those in power fear scrutiny.
“Across the globe, media workers risk censorship, surveillance, legal harassment, and even death,” he said.
He also noted a sharp rise in the number of journalists killed in recent years, often deliberately targeted in conflict zones.
—
Do you have a news tip for JKNewsMedia.com? Please copy and email us at jkmediapress@gmail.com.
