A man accused of the attack on a journalist in Russia Mikhail Pochuyev/Getty Images

Publicizing the Plight of Journalists

Despite a steady increase in violence against journalists, the global media has tended to shy away from publicizing the dangers of their profession, preferring instead not to become the story. This strategy is no longer tenable; the best way to protect journalists today is to make the risks they face front-page news.

AMSTERDAM – Every five days, on average, somewhere in the world, a journalist is murdered for being a journalist. Nine out of ten times, no one is prosecuted, creating an atmosphere of impunity that extends beyond death threats or violence. Imprisonment of journalists is at an all-time high, and members of the press routinely suffer harassment and intimidation while on assignment. Today, journalism is one of the most dangerous professions anywhere.

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