It is noted that violence from organized crime groups is directed not only against rivals and authorities but also against citizens, including journalists, human rights defenders, and businesspeople.
From 2020 to 2022, approximately 200 journalists were killed, of which 20% died while covering criminal activities.
In a new analytical report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), it is emphasized that transnational organized crime has become one of the most serious and rapidly evolving threats in the modern world. Globalization, digitalization, and increasing geopolitical instability contribute to the growing diversity and flexibility of criminal networks, making their monitoring increasingly complex.
According to UNODC estimates, since the early 2000s, organized crime has claimed about 95,000 lives annually, comparable to the losses from armed conflicts. Latin America and the Caribbean remain the most dangerous regions, with a murder rate in 2023 of 19.7 per 100,000 people, while in sub-Saharan African countries, this figure stands at 11.9.
The activities of criminal networks undermine the economy, hinder investments, and obstruct sustainable development.
Organized crime violates fundamental human rights, including the right to life, security, and freedom of expression. Human trafficking leads to exploitation, violence, and forced labor, while the control of territories by organized crime groups makes the protection of citizens impossible and undermines trust in state institutions.
