Governments must act to end the killing of journalists and tackle what he described as “staggering” levels of impunity, the Executive Director of the Rory Peck Trust has said.
Speaking to the BBC on World Press Freedom Day, Jon Williams warned that those responsible for attacks on journalists—particularly in Gaza—must be held to account, including individuals indicted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes.
Last year was the deadliest on record for journalism, with 129 journalists and media workers killed worldwide. More than 260 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza over the past two and a half years.
Click to watch BBC News interview
International law recognises journalists as civilians, making their deliberate targeting a war crime. But Williams warned that those protections are being ignored.
“We wouldn’t tolerate this if people ignored the traffic lights… something would happen.” he said. “That is exactly what is going on around the world. The lights are flashing red, and governments are ignoring the traffic lights which are flashing red and saying democracy is in danger, because journalism is in danger.”
Williams’ comments followed the publication of the latest Global Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders, which recorded the lowest level of media freedom in its 25-year history. In more than half of all countries, press freedom is now classified as “difficult” or “very serious”. A quarter of a century ago, around 20% of the world’s population lived in countries rated “good” for press freedom; today, that figure has fallen to less than 1%.
Click to watch ‘Isa Soares Tonight’, CNN
Earlier, in an interview with CNN’s Isa Soares, Jon Williams said the world was now a fight to defend the truth, warning “if we have no truth, we have no freedom”. He was speaking as he and Soares toured the Trust’s photo exhibition, ‘Being There’ in London.
On Sunday, more than 50 visitors joined a special World Press Freedom Day discussion in the exhibition space on the threats facing independent journalism around the world. Palestinian journalist Yousef Hammash, British-Iranian reporter Sahar Zand, and Kurdish journalist Hilal Sevenn – all Rory Peck Trust alumni – told how the risks facing freelancers had increased in scale, range and complexity while the response had not.
From left, Hilal Sevenn, Sahar Zand & Yousef Hammash talk with Jon Williams
‘Being There: Witness, Truth and Trust’, produced in partnership with international news agencies AFP, AP and Reuters, drew around 500 visitors over its run at London’s ST.ART Gallery. As it closed on Sunday evening, Williams said the level of public engagement had been striking.
“At a time when journalism is under real pressure, that response matters.” he said, describing the support shown by visitors as “extraordinary”.