Baku-APA. UN Deputy Secretary- General Jan Eliasson on Wednesday called on the international community to protect journalists in conflict situations, APA reports quoting Xinhua.
"When journalists are killed, information about threats to international peace and security is often buried," Deputy Secretary-General Eliasson told the Security Council in a special meeting devoted to the protection of journalists in armed conflict.
Eliasson said that every time a journalist is killed or intimidated into silence, there is one less voice to speak on behalf of the victims of conflict, crime and human rights abuses, one less observer of efforts to uphold rights and ensure human dignity.
According to UN figures, in the past decade, more than 600 journalists have been killed while exercising their role and service in society. In many cases, murdered journalists are covering corruption and other illegal activities.
It is "shocking and unacceptable" that more than 90 percent of the assassinations on journalists go unpunished, Eliasson said, urging that "the least we can do when a journalist is murdered, is to ensure that the death is investigated swiftly and justice is served."
In addition, the Deputy Secretary-General encouraged all UN entities to submit information which could contribute to journalists' greater safety.
The Wednesday meeting is the first time the Council specifically considers the issue of protection of journalists in armed conflict since it adopted a resolution on the issue in 2006.
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on TikTok
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on X
