NEW YORK – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a strong warning about the increasing dangers facing journalists worldwide, saying press freedom is under unprecedented pressure from violence, censorship and manipulation.
In his message for World Press Freedom Day, observed annually on May 3, Guterres said journalists are too often among the first victims in times of war and political instability, but also in societies where those in power fear public scrutiny.
“People often say that in war, truth is the first casualty. But far too frequently, the first casualties are the journalists who risk everything to report that truth,” Guterres said.
The UN chief highlighted the growing risks media workers face around the world, including censorship, surveillance, legal harassment and deadly violence.
According to the United Nations, recent years have seen a sharp increase in the number of journalists killed, particularly in conflict zones where reporters are increasingly being deliberately targeted.
Guterres said one of the most alarming issues remains impunity.
He noted that approximately 85 percent of crimes committed against journalists worldwide are never properly investigated or punished.
The Secretary-General called that level of impunity “unacceptable.”
Beyond physical threats, Guterres warned that economic pressure, technological disruption and deliberate manipulation of information are also weakening press freedom globally.
He said the erosion of access to reliable information creates mistrust in society and damages public debate.
“When access to reliable information erodes, mistrust takes root. When public debate is distorted, social cohesion weakens,” he said.
The UN chief stressed that journalism remains essential for democracy, accountability and peace.
He warned that when journalism is undermined, governments and societies become less capable of preventing or resolving crises.
Guterres described press freedom as the foundation of all other freedoms.
“Without it, there can be no human rights, no sustainable development and no peace,” he said.
The message comes as media organizations and press freedom advocates around the world prepare to mark World Press Freedom Day with renewed concern over journalist safety, misinformation and increasing political pressure on independent media.
For journalists in Curaçao and the wider Caribbean, the annual observance also serves as a reminder of the importance of independent journalism in safeguarding democracy and keeping the public informed.
World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 and is recognized each year as a moment to defend media independence and honor journalists who have lost their lives in pursuit of the truth.