Forty-five journalists and media workers were killed in 2021, one-third fewer than the previous year (65), but the report remains heavy in Asia, especially in Afghanistan, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
“This figure of 45 is one of the heaviest reports since the IFJ began publishing annual reports on journalists killed in work-related incidents, including targeted killings, crossfire deaths and bombings.” said the Federation, which has 600,000 members in 140 countries.
Since 1991, 2,721 journalists have been murdered worldwide.
“The risks associated with armed conflict have diminished in recent years due to the limited exposure of workers to the media, as there are fewer and fewer people covering events in war zones,” the IFJ explained. “At the same time, the threats posed by criminal gangs and drug cartels, from the Mexican slums to the streets of European cities in Greece and the Netherlands, continue to grow and explain the many targeted killings,” he added.
By region, last year, the Asia-Pacific region topped the macabre list, with 20 murders. It is followed by America (10), Africa (8), Europe (6) and the Middle East and the Arab World (only one). Added to these 45 murders is the accidental death of two journalists in Iran.
Although the decline seen in 2021 is “good news”, it is little consolation for the violence that continues to cost the lives of journalists in countries such as Afghanistan (9), Mexico (8), India (4) and Pakistan (3), the IFJ estimates. “Journalists and media workers are often targeted for reporting corruption, crime and abuse of power in their communities, their cities and their countries,” he said.
The IFJ has called for a “new United Nations convention on the protection of journalists”.
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