Deadliest year for journalists
2012-12-19 22:18
-
Media Studies
This series has been written by key thinkers in media studies locally and from abroad.
Now R324.00
buy now
Johannesburg - It has been the deadliest year for
journalists since Reporters Without Borders began producing its annual round-up
17 years ago, the organisation said on Wednesday.
It said 88 journalists had been killed so far this year
in connection with their work, along with 47 citizen journalists and six media
assistant colleagues.
There had also been frequent killings of internet users,
known as netizens, in connection with the collection and dissemination of news
and information.
The figure marked a rise of 33% compared to last year.
"The reason for the unprecedented number of
journalists killed in 2012 is mainly the war in Syria, the chaos in Somalia and
Taliban violence in Pakistan," secretary-general Christophe Deloire said
on Wednesday.
"The impunity enjoyed by those responsible for
violations of human rights, in particular, the right to freedom of information,
encourages the continuation of these violations."
Reporters Without Borders said in a statement following
the release of its Annual Overview that at least 17 journalists, 44
citizen-journalists and four media assistants had been killed in Syria.
"News providers were unwanted witnesses of the
atrocities being committed by President Bashar Assad's regime, which had its
back to the wall," it said.
"Journalists have also been targeted by armed
opposition groups, which are increasingly intolerant of criticism and ready to
brand journalists as spies if they fail to reflect their views."
Somalia was the country with the most journalists killed -
18, double the number killed in that country in 2009.
"The second half of September was particularly
bloody with seven journalists killed, two of them in the space of 24 hours.
"One was gunned down, the other beheaded. Most are
the victims of targeted murders or bombings. Those responsible for this
violence are either armed militias such as Al-Shebaab or local government
officials who want to silence news outlets."
Deadliest country for journalists
In Pakistan, a journalist had been killed every month,
Reporters Without Borders said.
"Ten journalists were killed in Pakistan for the
second year running - almost one a month since February 2010.
"It was the world’s deadliest country for the media
from 2009 to 2011, and Balochistan [a province in Pakistan] continues to be one
of the world’s most dangerous regions."
In Mexico, six journalists were killed, having been
targeted by organised crime.
In Brazil, drug traffickers operating across the
Paraguayan border seemed to have had a direct hand in the deaths of two of the
five journalists murdered in connection with their work in 2012. Both had
covered drug cases.
There were more journalists in prison than ever before.
It said 193 were in jail in connection with their work. Turkey, with 70, had
the most.
China was keeping 30 journalists behind bars, it added.
At least 21 journalists and 18 netizens were in Syrian
prisons.
Eritrea, dubbed "Africa's biggest prison for
journalists", had been cut off from the rest of the world since the major
roundups in September 2001 and the closure of all of the privately-owned media.
"None of the 28 journalists currently in prison had
the right to a trial or access to a lawyer and few have ever been allowed a
family visit. Prison conditions are appalling and include solitary confinement,
underground cells and torture."
Reporters Without Borders said 26 journalists were in
Iranian prisons.
Sub-Saharan Africa saw 21 journalists killed in the line
of duty.
- SAPA
