RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – United Nations Secretary-General,Antonio Guterres, warned that global press freedom is currently under heavy pressure due to increasing violence against journalists, digital threats, and information manipulation in various countries.

In an online statement commemorating World Press Freedom Day, Sunday, May 3, 2026, Guterres highlighted the high rate of impunity for crimes against journalists. He mentioned that around 85 percent of cases of violence against media personnel are never legally processed.

Guterres emphasized that without press freedom, there will be no protection for human rights, sustainable development, or world peace.

"Without it, there can be no human rights, no sustainable development, and no peace. On this World Press Freedom Day, let us protect the rights of journalists and build a world where the truth and truth-tellers are safe," Guterres said in his statement.

The UN also highlighted that pressure on journalists does not only occur in conflict areas, but also in the form of censorship, surveillance, legal pressure, and economic pressure in various countries.

In line with that, UNESCO also calls for the strengthening of independent journalism amid the rising disinformation and pressure on newsrooms globally.

UNESCO Director-General, Khaled El-Enany emphasized the importance of investing in journalism as a pillar of world peace. He stated that free and accurate information is a fundamental need for the public.

"Member states and all our partners need to invest in journalism as a pillar of peace." "Free and accurate information is crucial for the public," Khaled stated in a press release from the UNESCO Jakarta Regional Office, Sunday, May 3, 2026.

UNESCO emphasizes that peace, recovery, and security policies must include the protection of information integrity as well as the presence of free and independent media.