NEW YORK (TSAT) - At least 455 journalists were killed worldwide during the last five years, said UNESCO in its latest report.

“From 2016 to the end of 2021, UNESCO recorded the killings of 455 journalists, who either died for their work or while on the job. Almost nine out of ten killings remain unresolved,” said the UN organization in a press statement. 

UNESCO said the global rate of impunity for killing journalists also fuels a cycle of violence and has a chilling effect on all journalists.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concerns over increasing violence against the journalists and urged the countries to take action against the people behind these incidents. 

“I urge countries to investigate & prosecute crimes against them with the full force of the law. Press freedom is vital for peace, justice and human rights,” he tweeted. 

The UNESCO revealed that women journalists around the world and seven out of ten women journalists had experienced online violence. 

“Since 2016, 44 countries have adopted or amended new laws that contain vague language or threaten disproportionate punishments for actions like spreading 'fake news', 'rumours' or 'cyber-libel', leading to self-censorship.”

“In 160 countries defamation is still a criminal offence. When defamation law is criminal, rather than civil, it can be used as grounds for arrest or detention, effectively muzzling journalists,” according to the report.

Data from the Committee to Protect Journalists shows 293 journalists were imprisoned in 2021, the highest yearly total in three decades, it's said. 

UNESCO urges governments to take policy action and support the economic viability of independent news media while respecting the professional autonomy of journalists.