I was able to dedicate that column, once again, to the behavior of the media, journalists, and communicators (in-globe in this unhappy term characters such as chronic panelists, influencers in the networks, opinion-makers, even the occasional academic more prone to utter reckless statements than to apply what has been studied.However, and in order not to overdo this issue of the behavior of colleagues and not so much, I run away from local news and look beyond the borders.
The outlook, in many parts of the world, is dramatic for those of us who practice this profession: according to the Paris-based organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which authores the annual ranking of freedom of expression (among many other activities), they have been Twelve journalists have been assassinated for carrying out their mission and another 533 are imprisoned, plus 23 media collaborators (this includes translators and introducers to sources). There is hardly any region in the world in which the press can carry out its mission with full freedom. Argentina, it can be said without risk of error, is left out of these extreme cases, although many journalists and media (particularly in the provinces) receive differential treatment depending on whether or not they adhere to local, national or provincial governments.
A recent work by RSF is the one that motivates this column: “The map of the exile of journalists highlights the flows towards Europe and North America” is the title of the study, which shows a world map with the lines of connection between the countries where journalists suffer persecution and the points of the globe in which they must go into exile.
The document just published by RSF states: “Threatened or persecuted because of their profession, journalists are forced to flee their countries in search of safety around the world. The map that RSF has drawn up based on data from its area of assistance and on information collected in the last five years by the organization’s regional offices shows that the exile of journalists is a global phenomenon. Each continent produces its own flow of exiled journalists, who find refuge mainly in Europe and North America.
The organization’s secretary general, Christophe Deloire, pointed out that “the map shows the intensity of the displacement of journalists forced to seek refuge abroad. Our Help Desk has never been more in demand since its inception. We have to fight for two complementary objectives: firstly, to reduce the factors that lead to exile, fighting the repression, and secondly, we must help journalists and media who have not been able to avoid fleeing. The survival of the media in exile must be guaranteed, which requires the commitment of all actors, especially in democratic countries”.
Hundreds of Russian journalists have fled their country, where covering stories closely or remotely related to the Ukrainian war can land them in jail. “Many of them have found refuge in neighboring Georgia, in the neighboring Baltic countries or within the European Union, in Poland, Germany and France in particular – summarizes the report -. Afghanistan and Burma have also forced hundreds of press workers to emigrate with their repressive policies. Something similar is happening with China, which has applied harsh sanctions in Hong Kong. The destinations of the exiles are, particularly, the United Kingdom, Taiwan and the United States.
The space in this column is small to accommodate so many cases. The complete report and the map of exile can be consulted at https://rsf.org/es/el-mapa-del-exilio-de-periodistas-destaca-los-flujos-hacia-europa-y-norteam%C3% A9rica.