Nearly 1700 journalists killed in past 20 years, says RSF report
journalism
An analysis by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has revealed that nearly 1700 journalists were killed across the globe in the past 20 years. This comes to an average of more than 80 per year.
The Paris-based media rights campaigners said that the two decades between the years 2003 and 2022 were "especially deadly decades for those in the service of the right to inform"
"Behind the figures, there are the faces, personalities, talent and commitment of those who have paid with their lives for their information gathering, their search for the truth and their passion for journalism," RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said.
RSF said that Iraq and Syria were the most dangerous countries to work as a journalist. According to the analysis, these two countries have accounted for "a combined total of 578 journalists killed in the past 20 years, or more than a third of the worldwide total"
Iraq and Syria were followed by Mexico (125 killed), the Philippines (107), Pakistan (93), Afghanistan (81) and Somalia (78).
RSF said that 2012 and 2013 were the "darkest years". There were 144 killings in 2012 and 142 the year after. In the report, they have been attributed "in large measure" to the war in Syria.
This peak was "followed by a gradual fall and then historically low figures from 2019 onwards".
Putin's influence
But deaths increased again in 2022, in part because of the war in Ukraine. So far this year, 58 journalists have been killed doing their jobs, up from 51 in 2021.
Eight journalists have been killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded in February. This compares to a total of 12 media deaths there over the preceding 19 years.
Ukraine is currently the most dangerous country in Europe for the media, after Russia itself, where 25 journalists have been killed over the past 20 years.
Also Read | Number of journalists imprisoned hits record high; more than one killed every week in 2022: RSF
"Since (President) Vladimir Putin took over, Russia has seen systematic attacks on press freedom -– including deadly ones –- as RSF has repeatedly reported.
"They include Anna Politkovskaya's high-profile murder on 7 October 2006," the rights group said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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