PEC press release (English, French, Spanish)

The PEC in its 20th anniversary

More than 2000 journalists killed in 20 years

Geneva, 4 June 2024 (PEC) Founded on 4 June 2004 in Geneva, the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) has been campaigning for 20 years to strengthen the protection of journalists in dangerous areas. In 20 years, more than 2,000 journalists have been killed around the world, an average of one hundred a year.

‘This is an extremely heavy toll’, said PEC co-founder and President Blaise Lempen on Tuesday. ‘Our main concern remains the impunity that characterizes most of the crimes committed against journalists’, he added on the occasion of the NGO’s 20th anniversary.

The annual peaks in the number of victims over the past 20 years have corresponded to armed conflicts: the war in Iraq from 2003, the war in Syria from 2011, the war in Ukraine in 2022, and the conflict in Gaza from October 2023.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict since 7 October 2023 is the deadliest conflict for the media in such a short space of time (eight months), with almost 130 victims. This is equivalent to the number of victims recorded in the Syrian civil war between 2011 and 2020 (130 killed).

Mexico deadliest country

The country with by far the highest number of victims between 2004 and 2023 is Mexico, with more than 200 journalists killed in 20 years. The PEC hopes that new President Claudia Sheinbaum will be more forceful in finding and indicting those responsible for these crimes.

The next most dangerous countries since 2004 are Palestine (Gaza and the West Bank), Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Philippines, India, Honduras, and Somalia.

On the positive side, the PEC points to clear progress in raising awareness of the problem on the part of international organizations and governments. UNESCO has drawn up a plan for the safety of journalists, and the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council have adopted several resolutions.

However, these diplomatic efforts continue to come up against the failure to respect humanitarian law in armed conflicts, which is supposed to protect civilians, the absence of independent investigations and the lack of political will on the part of the authorities in the countries concerned.

Since its creation, the PEC has been in favor of drawing up an international convention strengthening the protection of journalists in dangerous areas. With the support of other organizations, it will continue to fight to denounce abuses, combat impunity more effectively and reduce the number of victims. More than 70 associations around the world supported the objectives of the PEC.

The PEC has had special consultative status with the UN since 2010. It is run by a ten-member steering committee and maintains a network of correspondents around the world. It publishes a biannual count of victims (https://pressemblem.ch/casualties.shtml). Since 2009, it has awarded an annual prize, based on current events, to a journalist or an organization that has fought to defend press freedom.

Read recent statements on: www.pressemblem.ch
– 02 June : PEC concerned about increasing pressure on journalists in Ukraine
– 25 May: PEC condemns series of murders in Pakistan, demands fair investigation
– 06 May: PEC denounces ban on Al-Jazeera in Israel