Hyderabad: The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global voice of journalists, in its 30th annual report on the killing of journalists and media staff states that Mexico is the deadliest country for media professionals with 14 killings every year, topping the chart fourth time in five years.
The data suggests that a total of 2,680 journalists have been killed since the IFJ started keeping count in 1990. A total of 65 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2020 while doing their jobs, 19 more than those killed in 2019. The IFJ also reported that more than 200 journalists are currently jailed because of their work.
Journalists were killed in 16 different countries during targeted attacks, bomb attacks and crossfire incidents, says the report.
“The ruthless reign of crime barons in Mexico, the violence of extremists in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Somalia, as well as the intolerance of hardliners in India and the Philippines have contributed to the continued bloodshed in media,” said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger.
’’No democracy worthy of that name can jail messengers of freedom of expression,” Bellanger said.
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According to the reports, ten deaths were reported in Afghanistan, nine in Pakistan, eight in India, four each in the Philippines and Syria, and three each in Nigeria and Yemen. Killings were also reported from Iraq, Somalia while Bangladesh, Cameroon, Honduras, Paraguay, Russia and Sweden.
Many journalists were kept inside the prison in March 2021 owing to their reports. The federation said Turkey is 'the biggest jailer of journalists in the world' — with at least 67 media workers in its cells.
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At least 23 media persons were detained in China, 20 in Egypt, 16 in Eritrea and 14 in Saudi Arabia.
The most recent arrest was of an Associated press journalist Thein Shaw, who was arrested in Myanmar while covering demonstrations against the military’s seizure of power. A court in Myanmar on Friday extended his pre-trial detention period.
Zaw, 32, along with six other members of the media have been charged with violating a public order law, according to his lawyer and the independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
The association says 38 journalists have been detained since Myanmar’s military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, and 19 are still incarcerated.
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