Killed on the job

The shocking killings of journalists must be condemned in the strongest terms possible (“UN chief express concerns over deaths of Indian journalists”, March 28). If the fourth pillar of democracy is not safe, why does India call itself the largest democracy in the world? Journalists Sandeep Sharma, Navin Nischal and Vijay Singh’s deaths come after the brutal murders of Gauri Lankesh and Santanu Bhowmik.

According to the Impunity Index, between 1992 and July 2016, 27 Indian journalists were killed in the course of their work. Murder of journalists is one of the greatest threats to the freedom of the press today. While international attention to the issue seems to have grown, there has been little progress here in making the country safer for journalists. States have to demonstrate far more political will to tackle this problem. It is not just a story that ends with a journalist’s death; a climate of intimidation builds up. If no one is punished, killers are emboldened, and violence repeats itself in an endless spiral. Journalists have no choice but to censor themselves or flee the country, if they can afford to. Governments often talk of a free press, but they seem unwilling to do much. We must act now to stop this culture of impunity. Shooting the messenger cannot be allowed.

Chennai