Ukraine topped the ranking of impunity for crimes against journalists. Next are Iraq, Yemen and Somalia
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) named Ukraine one of the countries with the highest level of impunity for crimes against journalists.
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IFJ reported this as part of an annual campaign aimed at ending impunity for crimes against media workers, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The campaign began on November 2, the international Day to End Impunity for Crimes targeting Journalists, introduced by the UN. The current campaign pays special attention to 7 countries where the level of impunity for such crimes is the highest: Ukraine, Mexico, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Somalia.
“Ten journalists have died in Ukraine over the past ten years. The number of threats is growing, and impunity in the country has continued for decades,” the report noted.
“IFJ has recorded many cases of attacks on journalists, violation of their rights, expulsion of foreign reporters from the country and even a missing journalist,” the report states.
According to materials presented to IFJ by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), cases of aggression against journalists are often not investigated at all.
“In the first nine months of 2017, we recorded 75 cases of physical aggression against journalists - attacks, beatings and unjustified use of force by police, officials and politicians. In 2017, weapons were used against Ukrainian journalists three times. Unfortunately, no one took responsibility for the aggression against journalists. The NUJU considers the level of aggression against journalists high. The main reason is the lack of proper response from authorities and law enforcement agencies. There is no effective investigation into attacks on journalists,” the material says.
Ukraine tops the list of impunity crimes against journalists, followed by Iraq, Yemen, and Somalia.