Attacks on journalists covering religion come from many directions. Extremist groups, state security forces and militant factions are among chief tormentors.
“What we publish can get us killed,” said one journalist from Pakistan during a workshop I led in Nepal for South Asian journalists reporting on religion. Others nodded in agreement.
Reports from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) underscore the risks.
Shahina K.K., an editor for India’s Outlook magazine, has been attacked by right-wing groups for reporting on religious minorities and human rights. She is one of the first journalists to be charged under India’s anti-terror law for which she faces three years in prison if convicted. In honor of her courage, Shahina won the 2023 CPJ International Press Freedom Award.
In neighboring Pakistan, Express Tribune reporter Rana Tanveer awoke one morning to find his home had been vandalized with messages labeling him a nonbeliever and calling for his death. He had written extensively about religious minorities. A few days later, he was riding his motorbike when a car rammed into him, fracturing his leg. Tanveer believes he was targeted by sectarian militants.
In Sri Lanka, a group of Sinhalese men led by a Buddhist monk held three journalists captive after the journalists attempted to report on Tamil cattle farmers. “Tamil journalists have a right to report on issues affecting their community without interference or fear of reprisal,” said CPJ.
Often, the violence is driven by those who hold the most power. “In many countries dominant religions wield influence as central pillars of authority, creating a danger zone for journalists,” said media expert Sadaf Khan, co-founder of Pakistan’s Media Matters for Democracy (MMD).
Reporting on sensitive religious issues can inflame tensions among religious groups or extremists, creating backlash for journalists and their media organizations. Further, covering human rights violations against minority religious groups or writing about violence stemming from religious beliefs might be viewed as an affront to the religious establishment. “That leaves journalists vulnerable to accusations of religious disrespect, increasing the risk,” said Khan.
Safety is a primary concern for media professionals covering any aspect of religion. Often, safety rituals involve using common sense. An MMD training module lists the following basic precautions:
- Avoid routine behavior; for instance, use different routes for travel to and from work.
- Don’t travel alone.
- During protest rallies, check out the location beforehand and identify exit routes.
- Never stand between security forces and demonstrators.
There is a saying, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” With a little work, we all can become safety experts.
Listed below are resources to help journalists build safety protocols and networks. Share them with colleagues in newsrooms and press clubs.
Resources for safety and security
Rory Peck Trust
This London-based NGO is dedicated to the memory of freelance cameraman Rory Peck, who was killed during Russia’s 1993 coup. The organization’s mission is to support freelancers, and it produces information useful to journalists anywhere.
Among its resources:
- Risk and Safety Help Desk: Journalists sign up by providing details about an upcoming assignment and safety concerns. They are matched with a security expert for online consultation.
- Risk Assessment: Process of evaluating risks, including how to create a communication plan and proof of life document, which “could save your life if you are kidnapped or abducted.”
- Digital Security Guides: Digital risk assessment templates and tips on protecting data. Safety training for online reporting, using email securely, protection against malware and securing mobile phones.
AccessNow
Works on behalf of the digital rights of at-risk people and communities. Among its activities, AccessNow maintains a 24/7 digital security hotline in nine languages, provides grants and other funding to combat digital rights violations, and runs the annual RightsCon conference, focused on human rights in the digital age.
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
These media watchdogs track press freedom worldwide and issue press releases on abuses against journalists. Both offer safety guidelines and digital safety kits on their websites.
CPJ’s emergency response team provides legal help: Contact via emergencies@cpj.org, or by mail, telephone or fax.
RSF’s safety guide, produced with UNESCO, is available in six languages, including Ukrainian and Chinese. RSF has compiled 40 online resources for staying up to date on digital safety.
International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF)
Small grants are made available to journalists through an emergency fund for media incidents. IWMF also hosts a fellowship program for Afghan women journalists in exile.
A founder of the Coalition Against Online Violence, IWMF has aggregated coalition member resources on the Online Violence Response Hub and created “A Guide to Protecting Newsrooms and Journalists Against Online Violence” to help navigate online violence toward employees. Learn more on IWMF’s Online Violence and Harassment page.
International Media Support (IMS)
Based in Copenhagen, the IMS “safety package” includes training in risk analysis and threat mitigation, first aid, and secure communications, among other topics. IMS also offers a 24/7 hotline, safe houses, safety funds and legal assistance to assist journalists caught in emergencies and conflict.
IMS’ work is aligned with the “U.N. Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity,” which seeks to create a safe environment for journalists and media workers.
A Culture of Safety Alliance (ACOS)
This is a coalition of 130 news organizations, freelance journalist associations and press freedom NGOs that collaborate to develop industry safety practices.
Their website lists safety principles for those working on dangerous assignments, along with physical, psychological and digital safety information.
Religion News Service (RNS)
RNS, founded in 1934, defines itself as a “news agency covering religion, ethics, spirituality and moral issues.” It publishes news and information on faiths and religious movements with correspondents around the globe. Journalists might use it as a tool for research, sources and story ideas.
RNS also advises reviewing online privacy tips from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Tor, and Privacy International.
Header photo by Gabrielle Rocha Rios.
This resource is part of a toolkit on religion reporting, produced by IJNet under ICFJ's program, Stemming the Tide of Intolerance: A Network of South Asian Journalists to Promote Religious Freedom.