The NMT Media Foundation has called on governments, technology companies, and media institutions to step up protections for journalists amid rising threats, harassment, and violence.
The foundation has made the call to mark International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on 2 November.
It warns that journalists, particularly women, are facing increasing online abuse powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
“Perpetrators must be prosecuted, not protected. Impunity is permission. Journalists risk their lives to report the truth. Their safety must be guaranteed,” NMT Media Foundation executive director Zoé Titus says.
The foundation highlights how AI tools are being weaponised to silence women reporters. Deepfake pornography, doctored images, and false narratives are used to intimidate and discredit them, she says.
Globally, 73% of women journalists have faced online abuse, with one in five also attacked offline. In Zimbabwe, 63% of women journalists reported tech-facilitated harassment.
“These are not just online incidents. They have real consequences,” Titus says.
Many journalists self-censor, withdraw, or leave the profession entirely because of such attacks.
The foundation also draws attention to conflict zones such as Gaza, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Journalists there face imprisonment, torture, and assassination for exposing human rights abuses and corruption. These crimes often go unpunished, creating a culture of impunity.
NMT urges governments to criminalise technology-facilitated abuse and enforce protections for media workers.
Technology companies are called on to redesign platforms to prevent harassment instead of shifting responsibility to victims.
Titus reminds media institutions to make safety a newsroom priority, covering digital, psychological, and physical security.
In response to these threats, NMT, in collaboration with Stellenbosch University’s Department of Journalism, will host a public webinar titled ‘Silencing the Messenger: How Impunity Threatens Democracy’ today.
The webinar will examine journalist safety and practical steps to address online and offline threats.
The foundation reaffirms its stance that journalism is not a crime and calls on all stakeholders to act to protect journalists and uphold the public’s right to information.
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