Viktoria Marinova’s murder could silence a generation, unless we start protecting journalists on the frontline of the fight against corruption
One journalist murdered is too many. Three, all investigating corruption in Europe, is devastating. Viktoria Marinova, a thirty year old reporting on corruption involving EU funds, was brutally raped and murdered this weekend.
Journalists are on the frontline of the fight against corruption. These type of attacks don’t just stop one story, they risk silencing a whole generation of journalists and anti-corruption campaigners. As we still mourn Daphne Caruana Galizia, Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova, Viktoria Marinova’s murder demonstrates beyond a shadow of doubt how high the stakes have become in Europe.
Reporters without Borders raised concerns about the arrests of two of Marinova’s colleagues by Bulgarian police in September. If the EU is serious about fighting corruption, it must ensure that journalists are protected from these attacks now and in future. The fight against corruption depends on it. Global Witness calls for a full and transparent investigation into Marinova’s murder and immediate protection for her colleagues.
No journalist should ever have to put their life on the line to expose corruption, but they do every day. And we stand with them in solidarity.
