Justice must be done for the murder of journalists, who perform important functions in taking forward fundamental freedoms and bolstering the strength of societies, a senior United Nations official said Thursday, marking the International Day to end impunity for crimes against them.

"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), in her message for the International Day, observed annually on 2 November.

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

"This is why injustice against journalists is so costly for all societies," she added.

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," she declared.

Source: Wam