Global Threats to Press Freedom and Journalists on the Rise

The UN Secretary-General has warned that freedom of the press is under attack worldwide, with 86 journalists killed last year and hundreds more attacked or imprisoned. The Director-General of UNESCO, which advocates for the protection of journalists, said that the level of impunity for these crimes sends a chilling message because “the security of journalists is not a matter just for journalists or international organizations. It is a matter for society as a whole.” The erosion of the free press is almost always followed by democratic erosion, warned the Chairman and Publisher of The New York Times, adding that the free press is the first target of autocrats and those who aspire to join their ranks.