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As part of the information sharing mechanism under the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, we are issuing this newsletter every two months. Through this newsletter, we share with you information on the implementation of the UN Plan of Action. It includes development from the first-phase countries (Iraq, Nepal, Pakistan, and South Sudan), various ongoing and upcoming initiatives that could contribute to achieving the objectives set out in the UN Plan of Action. We invite you to submit relevant information concerning your initiative that would contribute to the UN Plan.
International Day to End Impunity will be held in San Jose, Costa Rica
On 9-10 October, UNESCO and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights will hold a commemoration event as part of the build up towards the International Day Against Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI) on (2 November 2015) will take place at the IACHR's premise in San Jose, Costa Rica. The event will mark the beginning of a series of events taking place globally to highlight the issues of impunity. Contact person: Mr Guilherme Canela and Mr Gunther Cyranek. Read more.
IFJ/EFJ launch safety handbook on Russia and Ukraine
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its regional organization the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have launched a report on the safety of journalists in Ukraine in 2014 during a conflict reporting conference organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna. The handbook is the result of the cross border solidarity between IFJ/EFJ Ukraine and Russian colleagues and details the range and scope of restrictions on journalists’ rights during 2014. Read more.
UNESCO organizes training of security forces on safety of journalists in Somalia
Representatives of the Somalian National Intelligence and Security Agency, the Ministry of Information and the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) came together in Mogadishu from 2 to 4 June 2015 in a 3-day training workshop organized by UNESCO, in cooperation with Relief International and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), which provided an opportunity for security forces and the media personnel to better understand their respective roles in maintaining democracy. Read more.
Special academic session on safety of journalists
UNESCO organized special sessions on safety of journalists during the International Association of Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) Conference in Montreal, on 13 July and the Global Communication Association Conference in Berlin, Germany, on 17 July. More than 100 researchers participated in these special sessions aiming at discussing the Organization’s new initiative for academic research agenda on safety of journalists. Read more.
UNESCO’s Director-General condemns killings of journalists
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova condemned the killing of eight journalists who were killed in the month of May and June:
Armando Saldaña Morales (Mexican) killed on 4 May
Ananta Bijoy Das (Bangladeshi) killed on 12 May
Evany José Metzker (Brazilian) killed on 18 May
Djalma Santos da Conceição (Brazilian) killed on 23 May
Jagendra Singh (Indian) killed on 8 June
Sandeep Kothari (Indian) killed on 21 June
Gerardo Nieto Alvarez (Mexican) killed on 26 June
Juan Mendoza Delgado (Mexican) killed on 30 June