In his message for this year’s commemoration, Unesco director general Koichiro Matsuura said: “This year’s theme is tragically fitting in view of the fatalities and injuries suffered by media professionals reporting on armed conflicts.

“Sadly, each year a number of journalists lose their lives in the course of pursuing their profession. It is the duty of authorities everywhere to respect the media’s right to work in conditions of reasonable safety”.

He added: “In such situations, the media’s work to provide independent and trustworthy information can contribute significantly to processes of reconstruction and reconciliation. In times of upheaval, disorder and uncertainty, people’s need for reliable information is especially great – their ability to access provisions, and sometimes their personal safety and very survival, may depend on it.”

The International Federation of Journalists – of which the Institute of Maltese Journalists is a member – has called for justice, safety and solidarity and, in particular, international action to investigate the unexplained killings of journalists in Iraq.

“The shadow of injustice and question marks over the killing of 11 journalists and media staff in the Iraq conflict hangs over the world of journalism today,” the IFJ said in a statement.

“The grotesque term ‘friendly fire’ cannot hide the reality that media staff have been cut down and no credible, independent investigations have taken place. It is an affront to democracy.

“The IFJ has issued a report – Justice denied on the road to Baghdad – about seven killings, most at the hands of American troops during and immediately after the Iraq war. A further four media killings, again by United States soldiers, have taken place in recent weeks.

“All of these deaths must be properly and independently investigated,” the IFJ said. “If not, the suspicion of gross negligence or, worse, targeting of media staff, will remain.”

The Institute of Maltese Journalists joined fellow professional organisations worldwide in commemorating World Press Freedom Day 2004. It pointed out that although, thankfully, no journalists have been killed in Malta, there have been various instances of physical harassment of journalists throughout the years.

Since 2001, 10 cases of physical assault against journalists have been reported to the institute and many more have gone unreported.

Unfortunately, most of the offences committed against journalists in Malta during the exercise of their duties have either gone unpunished, or the perpetrators were meted out derisory punishments.

The institute called on the authorities to issue stiffer punishments against perpetrators of these crimes, as well as to afford better protection to journalists in hotspots where such incidents have occurred in the past, such as the Law Courts and during public meetings.

The Malta Journalism Awards 2004, usually held on 3 May to commemorate World Press Freedom Day, will be launched later in the year.