| Participants pose during an international training course for prosecutors held at Siracusa International Institute in Sicily, Italy, Feb. 14 to 18. The event was co-organized by the International Association of Prosecutors and UNESCO. Courtesy of International Association of Prosecutors |
By Lee Hyo-jin
Violent crimes against journalists worldwide are on the rise but many of the cases are being closed without any judicial action, according to the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP), which has vowed to strengthen efforts to ensure the safety of journalists.
Established in 1995, the IAP is the only global non-governmental organization of prosecutors committed to expanding and strengthening mutual cooperation in criminal investigations amid the rapid growth of transnational crimes.
The association currently has over 350,000 members from 177 countries.
“Violent crimes on journalists have surged over the past decade to a very concerning level. Korea is considered a relatively safe area, while journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in regions of conflict such as South America, the Middle East and Africa face serious threats to their lives,” Hwang Cheol-kyu, president of the IAP, told The Korea Times.
| Hwang Cheol-kyu, president of the International Association of Prosecutors / Courtesy of International Association of Prosecutors |
Hwang cited data from UNESCO which showed that more than 1,200 journalists have been killed worldwide over the past decade, averaging one death every four days.
“Journalists become victims of violent crimes, involving kidnappings, serious injuries and confinements, many of which have occurred while they were covering politically and socially sensitive issues,” Hwang said.
He also said that about nine out of 10 murders of journalists are closed without any judicial action or punishments, as these crimes often involve powerful criminal organizations or corrupt politicians.
In October 2017, Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia died in a car bombing while covering corruption links and tax havens involving Maltese politicians and high-ranking officials. Four people have been charged with her murder, one of whom was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat resigned in 2019 after his involvement in the crime was confirmed, but he is still denying any direct connection.
“Due to the nature of these crimes, prosecutors need to have high expertise in the process of investigation and trial proceedings,” Hwang said, stressing that efficient international cooperation is imperative for successful investigation and indictment of the guilty parties, as crimes against journalists often occur in transnational contexts.
With an aim to better respond to the issue, the IAP has agreed to join hands with UNESCO.
After signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in December 2020, the two sides have been combining the IAP's robust global network of prosecutors with the U.N.'s experience related to crimes against journalists. They have published guidelines for prosecutors and developed training courses.
Within this framework, the two organizations, in partnership with the Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights, conducted an international training course for prosecutors between Feb. 14 and 18, on the topic of “Investigating and Prosecuting Crimes against Journalists and the Protection of Freedom of Expression.”
The event, held in Sicily, Italy, brought together 23 prosecutors and representatives of prosecution training academies from 13 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.
The participants actively engaged in in-depth discussions and knowledge sharing on international and regional standards on freedom of expression and access to information, and on how to effectively investigate and prosecute crimes against journalists.