On World Press Freedom Day, celebrated on May 3, the international organization CPJ (Committee to Protect Journalists) called for an end to attacks on journalists and media professionals on social media. war in ukraine.
The initiative’s hashtag is #NotATarget (#NãoSãoAlvos). The campaign video features emotional expressions from family members and colleagues of professionals who lost their lives in the war.
At least seven journalists died while covering Russia’s invasion of neighboring territories. The other five deaths are being investigated to determine whether they were work-related.
Death of journalists in Ukraine war challenges press freedom
It was announced as the date of 3 May. World Press Freedom Day during the UN General Assembly, 1993. According to the organization, the day is intended to serve as a “reminder to governments of the need to respect their press freedom commitments.”
It also serves to “think about press freedom and professional ethics among media professionals”.
However, CPJ points out that nearly three decades later, Russia moved to suppress news about the war against Ukraine by squeezing the independent media inside the country and detaining journalists from the neighboring country.
“All journalists and media workers are civilians under international humanitarian law and their rights must be respected and protected,” says CPJ Executive Director Robert Mahoney.
For this reason, the committee reinforces the call for the protection of journalists covering the conflict and launches the #NotATarget campaign on social media with video-sharing statements of colleagues and family members of journalists who died while covering the conflict in Eastern Europe.
over #WorldPressFreedomDayWe respectfully commemorate the lives of at least 7 journalists who were killed while covering the Russia-Ukraine war. Their friends, family and colleagues remember them as uncles, cat lovers, pranksters and much more.
journalists #NotATTarget.#WPFD2022 #freedom of the press pic.twitter.com/tqlcvXmx4C
— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) 2 May 2022
First recorded death of a media professional in the Ukraine war Ukrainian cameraman of Kyiv Live TV Evgeny SakunHe was shot dead in the bomb attack on the capital’s television tower on 1 March.
Ukrainian journalist Viktor Dedov was killed on March 11 after his apartment was bombed in Mariupol.
Also in the CPJ video US documentary filmmaker Brent Renaud was shot dead by Russian soldiers. On March 13 in the city of Irpin:
“One of the things that made the difference with Brent and succeeded in our films was how much he cared about the people we shot. And in the end, Brent died because of it.
He was trying to reach a bridge, far from the place of the conflict, but where the refugees were trying to escape from Ukraine with a few belongings.”
read it too
World Press Freedom Day: Discover the origin and significance of history
Just one day after Renaud’s death, American cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski of Fox News and accompanying Ukrainian producer Oleksandra Kuvshinova, were also fatal victims of the attack by Russian soldiers. Your friends and family also join the CPJ video.
on March 23, Russian investigative website journalist Mole Oksana Baulina He died after Russian soldiers bombed a residential area in Kiev.
She was The vehicle Oksana was working on was confirmed when it was shot down in the attack covering the conflict in Ukraine. editor from the insideTimur Olevskiy told CPJ about this:
“He wanted to be in Ukraine when the war started. It was a very dangerous situation, but I don’t think anyone could stop him or ask him to stay home and not go to work. It was something very important.”
Filmmaker killed as well as journalists in Ukraine war
On April 2, award-winning Lithuanian documentary filmmaker Mantas Kvedaravicius became the seventh media professional to die during the conflict. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said the 45-year-old director was killed by Russian forces while trying to flee the city.
He was recognized for his 2016 film “Mariupolis,” which received rave reviews at film festivals in Berlin, Hong Kong, and Stockholm, as well as the Best Documentary award at the Lithuanian Film Awards, according to the report. hollywood reporter.
During UNESCO’s annual World Press Freedom Day conference in Punta del Leste, CPJ presented the “Truth, Lies and War” panel on the importance of fact-based, independent reporting during conflict.
This Gulnoza Said, Head of CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia Program, underlined Russia’s attacks on the press:
“Russia is not just trying to take control of new territories. [na Ucrânia]however [também] check the information. It is a real target. Misinformation used a lot [nos últimos 8 anos desde a anexação da Crimeia]”.
NGO demands protection of journalists from government officials
In addition to reminding of the attacks on journalists covering the war in Ukraine, CPJ called for greater social media protection for media professionals in countries and governments, including Brazil.
And he reminded that in 2021 at least 28 journalists had occupational-related deaths.
At least 28 journalists were killed for their work in 2021; Of these, 22 were charged with murder in retaliation for their work.
CPJ is investigating 17 other cases to determine if journalism was the cause of their murder.#WPFD2022pic.twitter.com/EFX1Q8sR5W
— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) May 3, 2022
listed committee 12 worst countries in the world to investigate journalist deaths, According to the 2021 Impunity Index itself: Brazil ranks 8th.
According to CPJ’s 2021 Impunity Index, the world’s worst countries for prosecuting journalist killers are:#Somalia#Syria#Iraq#South Sudan#Afghanistan#Mexican#Philippines#Brazil#Pakistan#Russia#Bangladesh#India#EndImpunity #WPFDhttps://t.co/c2pYbUDYBG pic.twitter.com/orZknjHpN8
— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) May 3, 2022
The non-governmental organization also published a joint statement. 10 Brazilian and international press freedom groups, including Abraji (Associação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo), asked officials and candidates to respect the role of the free press in the country’s upcoming elections.
“Attempts to weaken or restrict the work of journalists and media outlets in the context of elections not only violate people’s right to information, but also undermine democratic processes.”
In our 2021 census, 293 journalists worldwide were jailed for their work.
This was the highest number of imprisoned journalists CPJ has ever recorded.
Worst Guardians:
Chinese
Myanmar
Sweetcorn
Vietnamese
Belarus
Turkey
EritreaExplore our database: https://t.co/tDlN6dOBx5#WPFD2022 pic.twitter.com/o3T6UQpSbo
— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) May 3, 2022
read it too
source: Noticias
