The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has released its 2024 Global Impunity Index, revealing that globally, 80 percent of cases where journalists are targeted go unpunished. Israel has been identified as the second-worst offender after Haiti in letting the murder of journalists go unpunished. Other countries in the top five include Somalia, Syria, and South Sudan. The index, which was launched in 2008, includes both democracies and non-democratic governments, highlighting the lack of accountability for journalists’ killers.
Haiti, which tops the list, has faced challenges due to the rise of criminal gangs that have destabilized the country’s administrative and judicial institutions. This has resulted in at least seven unresolved cases of murdered journalists in the country. Israel, ranking second on the list, has appeared on the index for the first time due to its failure to hold anyone accountable for the targeted killing of five journalists in Gaza and Lebanon during a period of relentless war. The CPJ is investigating the killings of at least 10 journalists in Israel.
The CPJ Chief Executive, Jodie Ginsberg, has accused Israel of deliberately targeting journalists for being journalists, citing cases where they were falsely labeled as “terrorists” or clearly targeted in the absence of any other presence in the area. Israel has been responsible for the deaths of at least 128 journalists and media workers in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon over the past year, making it the deadliest time for journalists in over four decades of CPJ tracking.
Mexico has recorded the highest number of unpunished murders of journalists, with 21 cases during the index period, ranking it eighth on the index due to its significant population. Asian countries like Afghanistan, Myanmar, Pakistan, and the Philippines have consistently featured on the index since its inception. The CPJ is calling on the international community to support journalists, emphasizing that murder is used as the ultimate weapon to silence journalists and the impunity sends a dangerous message that killing a journalist is acceptable.
The CPJ’s investigation highlights the urgent need for accountability and justice for journalists who are targeted for their work. With the majority of cases remaining unresolved and perpetrators not being held to account, there is a clear threat to press freedom and the safety of journalists worldwide. The index serves as a tool to monitor and expose countries where impunity prevails, urging governments to take action to protect journalists and ensure that those responsible for these crimes are brought to justice. The international community must work together to address this issue and prevent further attacks on the media.
