Injustice against journalists costly for society: Unesco

Paris, Nov 3 (IANS)   Justice must be done for murdered journalists who perform important functions in taking forward fundamental freedoms and bolstering the strength of societies, a senior UN official has said.

"Justice is a cornerstone of a free society. It dissuades those who threaten freedom of expression and emboldens those who stand to defend it," said Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) on Thursday, in her message for the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.

The date was chosen in commemoration of the assassination of two French journalists in Mali on November 2, 2013.

From 2006 to 2016, at least 930 journalists were killed. In 2016 alone, some 102 journalists were killed in the line of duty. Worryingly, more than nine out of 10 cases, the perpetrators are never brought to justice.

"We must ensure justice is done for every journalist killed," Bokova said.