80 Journalists Killed on the Line of Duty in 2018
The Paris based group reveals 80 journalists died while doing their jobs between January 1 to December 1, 2018, which is very high if compared to 55 journalist deaths in the year 2017.
80 journalists were killed, 348 are currently in prison and 60 are being held hostage this year according to the annual worldwide round-up report on deadly violence and abusive treatment of journalists released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which shows an unprecedented level of hostile treatment towards the media personnel.
The Paris based group reveals 80 journalists died while doing their jobs between January 1 to December 1, 2018, which is very high if compared to 55 journalist deaths in the year 2017. The figures have increased in all categories, which include Murders, imprisonment, hostage taking and enforced disappearances. Journalists have never before been subjected to as much violence and abusive treatment as in the year 2018.
RSF Secretary-General, Christophe Deloire said in a statement, “The hatred of journalists that is voiced ... by unscrupulous politicians, religious leaders and businessmen has tragic consequences on the ground, and has been reflected in this disturbing increase in violations against journalists. Violence against journalists has reached unprecedented levels this year, and the situation is now critical”.
Jamal Khashoggi, Journalist and a royal insider who became a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and who is known for his critical columns on the Washington Post after moving to the United States last year, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October this year. Khashoggi’s death sparked worldwide outrage. Though Saudi officials have time and again rejected the accusations that the crown prince ordered his death.
Reporters Without Borders also revealed in its report the three most dangerous countries for journalists to work and they are Afghanistan, Syria and Mexico. The deadliest country for reporters in 2018 was Afghanistan, where 15 journalists died in violent attacks such as bombings. Though in Iraq not a single media deaths were reported in 2018, for the first time since 2003. The shooting of five employees of the Capital Gazette newspaper also brought the United States into the ranks of the most dangerous countries for scribes.
The reports by the media freedom organisation also said 348 journalists are being detained worldwide in comparison to 326 in 2017. China, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran, which holds more than half the world’s imprisoned journalists.
Reporters Without Borders is an international non-governmental and non-profit organization with a recognized public interest function and plays a big role as a consultant to the United Nations, UNESCO, the International Organization of the Francophonie, the Council of Europe and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Headquartered in Paris, Reporters Without Borders has bureaus, sections and representatives in 17 cities including Berlin, Brussels, Geneva, Helsinki, Istanbul, Karachi, Kiev, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco, Washington, Vienna, Taipei, Tunis and Stockholm and correspondents in 130 countries and 15 local partner organizations.