Violence against journalists hits unprecedented levels in 2018: RSF

PARIS, FRANCE: Media freedom group Reporters Without Borders says it has recorded an increase in the number of journalists killed and imprisoned worldwide this year.



The Paris-based group said on Tuesday 63 journalists died in relation to their jobs from January 1 to December 1, 2018, compared to 55 in 2017, as well as four media workers. Another 13 people it described as "non-professional journalists" — people who didn't have official press cards but who still played a role in the production of news and information — also died, while 348 were held in detention around the world.

"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," RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said in a statement.

Khashoggi, a royal insider who became a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and began writing for the Washington Post after moving to the United States last year, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October.

Khashoggi's death sparked global outrage. Saudi officials have rejected accusations that the crown prince ordered his death.

The Paris-based body said that the three most dangerous countries for journalists to work in were Afghanistan, Syria and Mexico.

The deadliest country for reporters in 2018 was Afghanistan, where 15 died in violent attacks such as bombings. But in Iraq, no media deaths were reported in 2018, for the first time since 2003.

Meanwhile, the shooting of five employees of the Capital Gazette newspaper propelled the United States into the ranks of the most dangerous countries.

The media freedom organisation said 348 journalists are being detained worldwide, compared with 326 at this time in 2017. China, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt hold more than half the world's imprisoned journalists.