Crimes against journalists and media workers are crimes against freedom of expression. Killings, detentions and harassment are devastating for journalists and their loved ones. But their impact is much broader, silencing entire communities and societies.

Our data shows more than 740 killings and disappearances of journalists and media workers worldwide between 2023 and 2025. Around nine in ten of those forcibly disappeared are still detained today. Three-quarters of women journalists have faced online abuse, including smear campaigns and sexual violence.

I welcome improved accountability for these crimes when they are committed outside conflict zones. However, the majority of journalists are killed during war, and impunity remains the rule.

When a journalist is harassed or even killed, and the crime goes unpunished, it sends a clear signal: dialogue and democratic debate are over; the public interest is conditional; and power is not to be questioned. That affects us all. UNESCO reports that global freedom of expression fell by 10 percent between 2012 and 2024.

The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists is the moment when we recognize these links and say: enough.

Protecting journalists and media workers protects everyone’s right to information, and cannot be left to the media industry alone. States have primary responsibility, but the international community, civil society, and technology companies all have a role. My Office is working with governments across several regions to improve protection for people at risk.

International human rights standards are clear. And yet, most countries still lack frameworks that combine preventing harm, protection tailored to specific needs, and accountability. Even where these exist, they require political and financial commitment to translate them into reality.

I call on all Governments to ensure prompt and independent investigations into crimes against journalists and media workers; to prosecute those responsible; and to deliver proper redress to victims and their families. This includes crimes that take place in conflict zones.

Today and every day, we need to protect those who stand up for us all.