OVER 60 JOURNALISTS KILLED IN 2020
by Roni Alasor
Brussels, 4 February 2021 - Middle East Diplomatic - The global voice of journalists, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reported that the global pandemic year 2020 was also one of the worst year of the resurgence of murders of journalists and media staff around the world. 66 journalists have been killed in 2020, a rise with 17 colleagues compeered with 2019.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that at least 274 journalists were imprisoned as end of the December 2020, as governments cracked down on coverage of the coronavirus pandemic or tried to suppress reporting of civil unrest. Regimes as China, Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia are leading the crimes.
In a statement, IFJ underlined that the organised criminal cartels, extremists’ insurgencies and sectarian violence continue to strike terror among journalists, scores of who have paid the ultimate price for independent reporting in the four corners of the globe.
“The trends in our publications over the last 30 years, but also in 2020, make it clear to all that there is no room for complacency. Instead, they are an urgent call to redouble our efforts to mobilise for greater protection of journalists and commitment to the safe practice of journalism”, said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger
According to the IFJ report : Asia Pacific as the most dangerous region with 32 killings, followed by Latin America with 17 murders. The Middle East and Arab World posted 8 killings, followed by Africa (6) and Europe (2). In its 2020 ranking per country, Mexico tops the list for the fourth time in five years with 14 killings, followed by Afghanistan (10), Pakistan (9), India (8), Philippines (4), Syria (4) while Iraq and Nigeria recorded 3 killings each. There were also two killings in Somalia. Finally, there was one journalist killed in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Colombia, Honduras, Paraguay, Russian, Sweden and Yemen.
Source : The International Federation of Journalists is the global voice of journalists. Founded in 1926, it is the world’s largest organisation of journalists, representing 600,000 media professionals in 187 unions and associations in more than 140 countries.