The United Nations has warned that attacks on journalists are on the rise and must be halted. In a message released ahead of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that no country currently offers a safe environment for media workers.
Türk highlighted that roughly 330 journalists are detained worldwide, alongside an estimated 500 citizen journalists and human‑rights bloggers. He noted that laws on defamation, disinformation, cybercrime and terrorism are increasingly used to shield powerful interests, while costly legal actions intimidate and silence reporters. “When attacks on the media become normalised, freedom itself begins to decay, and with it the foundations of peace, security and sustainable development,” he warned.
The High Commissioner paid tribute to journalists who document atrocities, expose corruption and scrutinise business practices, but warned that journalism has become an insecure and often dangerous profession. Since January, at least 14 journalists have been killed, and only around one‑tenth of the killings in the past two decades have resulted in full accountability. Covering armed conflict remains the highest‑risk assignment; the war in Gaza, for example, has turned into a “death trap for the media,” with Türk’s office confirming nearly 300 journalist deaths since October 2023 and many more injuries.
Türk recounted the extreme violence faced by local reporters in Sudan, describing conditions of brutality, famine and constant threat. He also cited his recent visit to Mexico, where journalists covering corruption, environmental damage or organised crime face grave risks, including attacks on their families.
The UN rights chief expressed particular concern about online harassment, which disproportionately affects women journalists—three‑quarters of whom have experienced smear campaigns or threats of sexual violence. He warned that such abuse could foster a disinformation society in which media are forced to obscure facts and reject scientific evidence. Türk called on technology companies to take meaningful action against online abuse and disinformation, and stressed the need for independence, transparency and integrity within media institutions.
In a supporting statement, UN Secretary‑General António Guterres affirmed that recent years have seen a sharp increase in journalists killed, often deliberately targeted in war zones. “Truth is the first casualty in war,” he said, adding that journalists are frequently the first victims wherever power seeks to avoid scrutiny. Guterres warned that press freedom is under unprecedented strain from economic pressures, new technologies and active manipulation.
The UN urges governments to prevent attacks on media workers, protect them from surveillance—especially when operating abroad—investigate violations and ensure accountability.
