PyeongChang 2018, the FIFA Russia World Cup and calling for a special rapporteur to monitor the ongoing investigation into the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia were all on the agenda for INSI in January.

INSI joins call for justice for murdered Maltese journalist
2017 was the most dangerous year on record for female journalists, according to our Killing the Messenger report of media casualties.

In January INSI board member Cilla Benko reflected on the nine women who were killed in connection with their work. One of those women was Daphne Caruana Galizia, Malta’s most prominent investigative journalist who led the Panama Papers investigation into corruption in her home country. In October she was blown up in a car bomb, and while authorities have announced the arrests of three suspects in connection with her murder, there remains a widespread belief that those who ordered the crime have not yet been identified. INSI has joined Daphne’s family and partners on the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalists in calling for a special rapporteur to be appointed to monitor the ongoing investigation.

Four years ago, INSI launched the first ever comprehensive report on the dangers faced by many women working in news media. Our report found that nearly two-thirds of respondents had experienced some form of intimidation, threats, or abuse in relation to their work.

Today, as seen in the latest media casualty figures, the situation has not improved. If anything, the rise of social media has allowed this stream of abuse against women to intensify, even causing some to leave the profession entirely.

INSI knows what a devastating effect online harassment is having on the news industry and this year we will be leading a series of practical efforts with our members to support them in tackling this issue which is impacting on the safety of their colleagues. If you are interested in hearing more, please get in contact.

INSI helps journalists prepare for World Cup and Winter Olympics
As part of our FIFA Russia World Cup series for INSI members, we held meetings in London and Stockholm focused on safety considerations for media workers covering the tournament.

Security specialists gave our members an in-depth analysis of potential threats to the global football competition and advice on keeping their journalists safe during the tournament. The next major sporting event will be the Winter Olympics in February. Our PyeongChang 2018 advisory offered safety tips for members heading to South Korea to cover the games.

Did you know?

• South Korea has one of the highest rates of traffic deaths for a developed country
• Google maps doesn't work there
• South Koreans top the list in terms of hard liquor consumption, according to the global marketing research firm Euromonitor International
• End-to-end encryption is illegal in Russia
• The Russian authorities have implemented a systematic crackdown against hooligan 'firms.

Image by AFP