AIJC 2024 calls for international tribunal to investigate crimes against journalists

At the end of yet another historic African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) November 1, 2024, participants have called for measures to protect journalists from attacks as they do their work.

In a statement adopted by the 450 journalists from more than 30 African countries, the participants draw attention to the International Day to End Impunity against journalists. A day celebrated by UNESCO to call for an end to attacks against journalists that go unpunished.

It said “this week marks the International Day to End Impunity against journalists, a day where  UNESCO as the leading agency to protect and promote freedom of expression aims to  remind us all that journalism is in danger and impunity remains in most of the cases where  colleagues have been arrested, detained, threatened or killed.”

“We in Africa are not safe from this reality – many journalists still work in life threatening conditions. We are still being subjects of killings for speaking truth about corruption and human rights violations, we are subject to physical and digital attacks and in some cases  the objectives of these attacks are to prejudice and incentivize disinformation and hate  against us and our work. 

In many African countries, laws are still being used to criminalize or persecute us… and  the list goes on,” the statement said.

The AIJC is the largest gathering of investigative journalists in Africa, held annually by the Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The conference features workshops, presentations, and panel discussions on best practices.

Dr Denish Balliah, Director of the Wits Centre for Journalism, in her welcome address announced the formation of the African Investigative Journalism Network.

The conference is the 20th edition. At the closing event, Beauregard Tromp, Convenor of the conference announced that there are plans to rotate the hosting of the conference in other African countries. The AIJC has always been held in South Africa.

Read the full details of the statement below.