Report: 2012 deadliest for journalists

By SUSAN KASERA

International Press Institute says a record 132 media practitioners were killed last year

Last year was the deadliest on record for journalists, the International Press Institute (IPI) reported.

Giving the state of Press freedom worldwide at the IPI World Congress 2013 held in Amman, Jordan, recently, Executive Director Alison Bethel McKenzie said the number of journalists killed while on assignment hit a record 132 — the highest figure recorded over the past 15 years.

She announced that so far this year, 43 journalists have been killed.

Praising their bravery and sacrifice, Ms McKenzie noted the death toll continued to rise despite efforts by national and international organisations to raise awareness about accepted standards for the protection of journalists.

CIVIL WAR

She singled out Syria as one of the most dangerous countries on earth for media practitioners. Gripped by a two-year civil war, 31 journalists and eight citizen reporters were killed last year while covering the ongoing conflict, according to IPI’s Death Watch count, while five have so far lost their lives this year.

The IPI boss said the media faces threats and restrictions in the Middle East region even where oppressive regimes have been overthrown through undemocratic security forces, restrictive legislation as well as physical attacks.

She said in Egypt, for instance, the military courts targeted journalists “under the well-oiled practice of using criminal defamation and insult laws”.  And an amendment to the Press and publications law that attempts to licence news websites was raising concern in Jordan.

DANGEROUS REGION

McKenzie noted that the most dangerous region in the world for journalists so far this year was Latin America, but was quick to add that Africa, too, has been particularly deadly with 11 killed thus far, four of them in Somalia alone.

Journalists have also lost their lives in Kenya, the Central Africa Republic, Nigeria, Seychelles, Tanzania and South Africa. She said threats to Press freedom in Africa come in many forms and are not limited to murder and physical assault. This year’s Congress, whose theme was Documenting Change, Empowering Media, brought together some 250 journalists from 56 countries.