Through lobbying and advocacy, we engage with federal and provincial lawmakers and investigative authorities to formalise a working relationship between them and our team, including our Roster of Experts, who leverage years of expertise in fields such as criminal investigation, medico-legal procedures, law and digital rights to assist in case analysis. The aim here is to lobby for new and amended legislation that would enhance efforts to effectively prosecute and convict perpetrators of journalist murders, as well as to collaborate with investigative agencies to improve their procedures.
At the same time, our team carries out our own investigations of journalist murders as they occur, focusing on those where the murder appears to be motivated by the slain journalist’s work. With on-ground fact finding and input from our Roster of Experts, we bring investigative misconduct and mistakes to the attention of the authorities. Our reporting also helps us identify patterns in journalist murders in Pakistan, as well as gaps in investigations. Consequently, we work with authorities to pinpoint the most effective interventions to reduce impunity.
Our coalition of legal and media experts, journalist unions, human rights organisations and international NGOs also makes use of our work to raise awareness about impunity in journalist murders in the country. In collaboration with our affiliates, we are able to offer training and guidance to both police investigators and journalists who are under threat, as well as to refine proposed interventions and strategies to address impunity.
Safe Journalism has a four-pronged strategy for our efforts to end impunity for journalist murders in Pakistan, which includes: lobbying and advocacy, parallel investigations of journalist murders, coalition building, and victim liaison.
Lastly, we liaise with the families of murdered journalists to provide legal support and guidance through our partners, thus enabling them to pursue justice.