News / Society

Nearly 2,300 journos killed in past quarter century, IFJ says

Sunday, 31 January 2016 5:34 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 31 January 2016 6:14 AM ]

People pray over the body of Almigdad Mojalli, a freelance Yemeni journalist who was killed in a Saudi airstrike, during his funeral on the outskirts of Sana’a on January 18, 2016. (AFP photo)

Nearly 2,300 journalists and media staff have been killed in the last 25 years while doing their job, which is reporting on war, revolution, crime and corruption, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) says.

The Brussels-based organization released the figure, which stood at 2,297, in a 79-page report that is due to be made public next week.

The study shows that the annual total was 40 in the federation's first year of counting that was 1990, but has not gone under the 100 mark since 2010.

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger in an interview described the last ten years as “the most dangerous” period for journalists.

The report, which is titled “25 years of contribution towards safer journalism,” also denounced the impunity that has come to the aid of killers to get away with murder of journalists.

According to the document, only one of ten killings is investigated, with Bellanger calling for an end to “the impunity that protects the killers.”

“We bring this report to show to all that it really is time to do something about it,” he added as the report is planned to be taken to a major UNESCO meeting in the French capital of Paris on February 4.

Based on the organization’s figures, 112 journalists and media staff were killed in 2015 that saw a deadly terror attack in January on offices of the French magazine, Charlie Hebdo. Twelve people were killed in the raid blamed on the Daesh Takfiri terror group.

Bellanger also pointed to a disturbing trend in which journalists are abducted and killed.

Women hold pictures of anti-Daesh Syrian journalist and documentary maker Naji Jerf, who was killed on December 27, 2015, during his funeral in Gaziantep, Turkey, December 28. (AFP photo)

The report said Iraq has been the most dangerous country for journalists in the last quarter century as 309 killings have taken place there, the overwhelming majority of them since the 2003 US-led invasion and war.

The Philippines ranked the second, with 146 killings, followed by Mexico that has been the scene of 120 killings over its drug-related violence.

The IFJ gathers its information via a variety of sources, including national affiliates in about 140 countries, police sources and political reports.

Late last year, the media rights group Reporters Without Borders said a total of 110 journalists were killed around the world in 2015, with many of them falling victim to acts of violence in countries “at peace.”

Iraq and Syria, where Takfiri terror groups are wreaking havoc, were ranked as the deadliest countries for media professionals last year, with 11 and 10 fatalities respectively.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk