The overall reaction to Hilal Al-Ahmadi's death by organizations who defend the rights of journalists worldwide was frustration over Iraq's high impunity for such attacks. The Committee to Protect Journalists said in a CNN report and in reaction to Al-Ahmadi's death, "Not a single journalist murder since 2003 has been seriously investigated by authorities, and not a single perpetrator has been brought to justice." According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Iraq was ranked #1 on the 2010 Impunity Index. The impunity index focuses on journalists who are killed on a recurring basis and the crimes often go unpunished. Iraq has been at the #1 spot for the last 3 years. Jean-François Julliard, who is secretary-general of Reporters Without Borders, said in an Agence France Press report about Al-Hamadi's death: "The murders of journalists in Iraq are not letting up and generalized impunity is fuelling the cycle of violence. Very few of 232 murders of in Iraq (since 2003) have been thoroughly and conclusively investigated. Impunity must not prevail in Iraq." Mohamed Abdel Dayem, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, said: "We call on the Iraqi authorities to vigorously investigate the killing of Hilal al-Ahmadi and bring those behind it to justice. It is time for the government to take the long-delayed initial steps toward ending a years-long record of impunity for journalist murders in Iraq." Aidan White, who is the general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, said, "The lack of credible action on violence against media sends a dangerous sign to media predators," added White. "It encourages further attacks and the Iraqi authorities need to end this culture of impunity." Irina Bokova, who is the director-general of UNESCO, said: "I condemn the murder of Iraqi freelance journalist Hilal al-Ahmadi. Attacking journalists cannot be tolerated. By denying citizens access to information, these crimes tear at the very fabric of emerging democracies. They must be investigated and punished." Hilal al-Ahmadi was married and had four children.