Presentation done at the UNESCO organized World Press Freedom Day 2018 in New Delhi, India.

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April 30, 2018
10journalists killed in targeted attack in Afghanistan
• Suicide bomber disguised as a journalist detonated
himself among cameramen and reporters gathered to
cover earlier suicide attack in Kabul killing 9 journalists.
• BBC Pashto journalist Ahmad Shah shot dead in Khost.

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Journalist Safety Indicators (JSI) South Asia
• Killings of journalists: 35
• Threats against the lives of journalists: 37
• Other threats to journalists: 10
• Non-fatal attacks on journalists: 105
• Threats against media institutions: 4
• Attacks on media institutions: 5
• Journalist jailed or detained: 68

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Many times, I wonder in despair why I am
counting the number of killed journalists. But
I know the answer, and that answer is so
strong that it gives me strength to continue
my work. Because if we stop counting, if we
stop monitoring attacks, if we stop raising
our voices for justice, and if we stop
campaigning for the safety of journalists,
then many more journalists will be killed.

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India
8journalists killed in India
Gauri Lankesh; Santanu Bhowmik; Sudip Datta Bhowmik;
Naveen Nishchal; Sandeep Sharma

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Impunity
• In India, over the last two decades, more than 30 journalists
have been killed as a direct result of their professional work.
The rate of conviction continues to be near-zero and the long
road to justice is fraught with poor investigation, political
pressure that often lets accused abscond or roam scot free.
• J Dey 2011 murder case, 9 sentenced to life on May 2, 2018.
• Similar situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives, where very few convictions
are achieved, after a long battle.

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South Asia Press Freedom Report
documents the clampdowns,
repression and muzzling by legal
means and more. But we also pay
respect to the other thing that
united South Asia’s media – and
that is courage.

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“If this is our fate in India’s capital,
what must be happening to
journalists in small towns and
cities?”
- Journalist Meghnad Bose
- (IDEI meeting, hosted by UNESCO in New Delhi)

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Situation of Rural Journalists
• The open conflict between various communities, vested
interests, mining barons, tribal chieftains, land sand and liquor
mafias, puts members of the local media too often at the front
and center of dangerous situation.
• Journalists in rural areas are often underpaid, not given
enough benefits and exploited; are working on high risks and
low safety; are in identity-crisis; and lowly valued by the
society.

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Internet Shutdowns
97Instances of internet shutdowns in South Asia
• 82: India
• 12: Pakistan
• 1: Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh

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The South Asia Press Freedom Report
• is 16th annual IFJ – UNESCO report by the South Asia Media
Solidarity Network (SAMSN)
• consists of country analysis of press freedom situation; special
reports on impunity; and gender
• special reports on rural journalists and internet shutdowns
• an annexure of incidents of press freedom violations from
across the region based on UNESCO’s Journalists Safety
Indicators (JSI).

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• PAKISTANFinally, salute to the courageous journalists
• In the face of adversity, its media fearlessly perseveres,
despite the suffering and despite increased controls and
criminalisation of their craft.
• Rural journalists in small towns and villages risk their
lives to bring their stories to their communities and
beyond.
• Women journalists across the region speaking up about
the insidious impact of sexual harassment and how they
are bravely working to change the story.
• Relentlessly pursue justice for their fallen journalists,
while continuing to report in difficult situation.

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Thank You!
@UjjwalAcharya
@ifjasiapacific