Journalists as a category of individuals are subjected to special risks of physical violence that amount to serious risks to their right to life. The current scale of threats to the lives and killings of journalists is a serious matter of concern. It shows an erosion of the rule of law and democratic governance where they occur. There is a serious issue of impunity for perpetrators of these violations by the failure to investigate and prosecute crimes against journalists. Physical violence against journalists might deter the entire journalistic community and forces it to practice self-censorship that eventually erodes its public role in democratic societies.