Maat Foundation We pay tribute to the journalists who perform their work despite the difficulties and dangers they face

Oqail: The crimes that some countries commit against journalists, violate Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Today, November 2 of each year, the world celebrates the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and Media Workers, who perform their work in uncovering crimes and the circumstances of all issues that affect the security of peoples and the stability of states and threaten humanity in its balance, such as corruption, trade in arms, drugs, people, and counterfeiting Elections, pollution of the environment and the destruction of oceans and forests, despite the acts of murder, torture, enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest, arbitrary detention, expulsion, intimidation, harassment, physical, legal, political, technological and economic threats, and acts that involve other forms of violence.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 68/163 at its 68th session of 2013, in which, on November 2, the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists was declared. This resolution urges member states to take firm measures to end the culture of impunity. Punishment, this date has been chosen as a memorial to the murder of two French journalists in Mali on November 2, 2013.

During the last fourteen years (2006-2019), nearly 1,200 journalists were killed while they were carrying out their work by transmitting news and information to people. This number is equivalent to the death rate of a journalist every 4 days, and in 9 cases out of 10 the perpetrator remains unpunished. Of course, Impunity leads to more murders as it is evidence of the exacerbation of the conflict and the breakdown of the law and judicial systems, and of the long-term consequences of impunity, especially with regard to crimes against journalists. These numbers do not include the large number of journalists who are subjected to daily unjust attacks. Deadly, including torture, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, intimidation and harassment, in times of conflict and peace alike. In addition, women journalists face specific risks including sexual assault.

Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights would like to take advantage of this occasion to greet all journalists who perform their work despite the difficulties and dangers they are exposed to. On the other hand, Maat Foundation denounces the persistence of a number of countries in committing successive crimes against journalists and media workers, as well as closing Dozens of newspapers, websites, and audio-visual media channels, which continues unabated, coinciding with news of the existence of protest movements in those countries since 2016, which is confirmed by several local, regional and international human rights reports, as well as the relevant UN reports, and also coinciding with the continuation of In the "series of impunity", which these countries practice without breaks.

 Accordingly, Maat Foundation fears that impunity will destabilize entire societies as a result of concealing serious violations of human rights, corruption and crimes. In this regard, Maat calls on governments, civil society, the media and all those involved in supporting the rule of law to join global efforts to end the problem of impunity, and urges The member states of the United Nations also to do their utmost to prevent violence against journalists and media workers, ensure accountability, bring perpetrators of crimes against journalists and media workers to justice, and ensure that victims obtain appropriate remedies, and also requests states to work to create an environment Safe and enabling journalists to perform their work independently and without undue interference.

Ayman Oqail, the head of Maat Foundation, confirmed in this regard that the crimes committed by some countries against journalists violate Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in response to the press coverage of the protest movements that have occurred in some countries since 2016, and therefore it is imperative. Exercising all international pressure; To ensure the safety of detained journalists and media professionals in these countries' detention facilities, coinciding with accountability for the perpetrators of heinous crimes against journalists, as well as fair prosecution of the perpetrators before justice. By covering the events of the Corona crisis in the forefront, especially journalists on the front lines and those seeking to provide the largest possible amount of accurate and sound information to citizens, and Uqail called on donors and international bodies to invest in various resources to develop and strengthen national mechanisms to protect journalists.

It is worth noting that the Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights, an institution with an advisory capacity to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, has sent several human rights reports related to crimes and violations practiced by some countries in the region against journalists, in conjunction with sending complaints to the relevant United Nations experts. The international community has met with the necessity of urgent action in order to put an end to the flagrant violations committed by some countries - which are not hidden from anyone - towards journalists and media professionals, and Maat reiterates its call to those governments for the need to publicly investigate these cases, provide a fair and just trial environment, and punish the perpetrators. , Compensation for victims, as well as providing all available resources to create a journalistic and media work environment characterized by integrity, transparency and freedom.