The concept of safety of journalists as a precondition of press freedom

The press, which is called the "fourth power" after the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, is of great importance in terms of conveying the news concerning the real agenda of the people to the citizens and thus creating public opinion and putting pressure on the arbitrary actions of the executive. Freedom of the press, as the most important component of freedom of expression, which is one of the basic human rights, is an indispensable concept for a democratic and free discussion environment. The more secure the journalists, who are the main intermediaries in the exercise of this freedom, feel safer, the more comfortable the research and transmission of information and news will be. One of the most important concepts in ensuring this is safety of journalists. Although safety of journalists is not a new concept, it has become increasingly visible as a result of the increase in attacks on journalists and press freedom in the 2010s. The public's awareness of human rights violations as a result of globalization and the decisions taken on safety of journalists in international platforms have been effective in bringing the concept of safety of journalists to the fore. Many regional and international organizations, especially UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), are working to promote legal, academic etc. studies on safety of journalists. Another concept that is frequently used together with the concept of safety of journalists is "impunity". "The Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity", is one of the best examples of the use of these two concepts together at the UN level. Impunity, which is one of the most important reasons that endanger journalist safety, has also become an issue that needs to be focused on sensitively in order to better understand the threats faced by journalists. This study focuses on the importance of this concept and how to ensure the safety of journalists in order to protect the freedom of the press. Since no study has been done on this subject in our country at the master's or doctorate level before, this thesis also aims to guide researchers who will conduct academic studies on safety of journalists in the future. Another aim of the study is to reveal the main threats faced by other press workers, especially journalists, and to include good practices that can be used to eliminate these threats. The good practices and other recommendations that are stated at the end of the study serve as a roadmap for ensuring the safety of journalists. In our study, threats to journalists and reasons of these threats will be explained through Mexico. The main consideration in the selection of this country is that Mexico is one of deadliest country for journalists, even if it is not in an active war or conflict.