November 2 is observed globally as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, drawing attention to the dangers faced by media workers and the need to ensure that those responsible for attacks against them are brought to justice.
The annual observance highlights the importance of protecting journalists, safeguarding press freedom and ending the culture of impunity surrounding crimes such as murder, physical assaults, threats, arbitrary detention and other forms of intimidation targeting media professionals.
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed November 2 as the international day in 2013, choosing the date to commemorate the killing of two French journalists, Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, who were abducted and murdered in northern Mali on November 2, 2013, while carrying out their journalistic duties.
Through the initiative, the United Nations called on member states to take practical measures to prevent violence against journalists and ensure that those responsible for such crimes are investigated and held accountable.
The observance also serves as a reminder that attacks on journalists affect more than the individuals directly targeted: they undermine the public’s right to access information and weaken independent reporting.
Journalists play an essential role in society by informing the public about developments at home and abroad, scrutinising government activities and exposing challenges affecting communities.
Their reporting covers security, politics, the economy and social affairs, while also giving visibility to people whose concerns might otherwise go unheard.
However, journalists continue to face threats in different forms, including physical attacks, intimidation, unlawful detention and pressure over their reporting.
In some cases, media organisations complain that journalists are prevented from filming public events or face restrictions when covering government activities and other politically sensitive issues.
The situation raises important questions about who guarantees journalists’ safety and what measures are being taken to protect their independence.
In Somalia, the annual commemoration places renewed responsibility on the federal government and relevant institutions to uphold press freedom and protect media workers from threats and retaliation.
Security agencies and judicial authorities have a responsibility to investigate cases involving the killing, assault, intimidation or unlawful detention of journalists.
Investigations should be thorough and impartial, while anyone found responsible should face appropriate legal consequences, regardless of their position or influence.
Authorities are also expected to create an environment in which journalists can carry out their work without fear of being targeted for the stories they publish, the questions they ask or the activities they investigate.
Restrictions on reporting should have a clear legal basis and must not be used to silence legitimate criticism or prevent the public from receiving information.
Protecting journalists, however, is not solely the responsibility of governments. Media organisations, journalists’ associations and the wider public also have important roles to play.
News outlets should strengthen safety measures for their employees, provide training for reporting in dangerous environments and offer support to journalists facing threats or work-related trauma.
Journalists, in turn, have a responsibility to uphold professional standards, verify information before publication and avoid spreading unsubstantiated claims.
Responsible reporting and media independence are complementary principles, both of which are necessary for public trust.
The public also has a stake in journalists’ safety. When a reporter is attacked, threatened or silenced, communities can lose access to independent information about matters that directly affect their lives.
Such attacks can discourage other journalists from investigating sensitive issues, creating gaps in public knowledge and accountability.
The 2026 international campaign is being marked under the theme, “Threats Change, Impunity Remains.”
It draws attention to the changing nature of the risks facing journalists, including threats linked to drone attacks, digital surveillance and online intimidation, while highlighting the persistent failure to bring perpetrators to justice.
The theme underscores the need for governments, judicial institutions, media organisations and civil society groups to adapt their protection measures to emerging threats while strengthening investigations and accountability mechanisms.
Ultimately, the safety of journalists cannot be guaranteed through commemorative statements alone.
It requires effective investigations, independent courts, protection against intimidation and a firm commitment to ensuring that crimes against media workers do not go unpunished.
For Somalia and other countries facing challenges to press freedom, protecting journalists is also essential to safeguarding the public’s right to know.