International Federation Of Journalists Registers In 2018 Reversal Of Downward Trend In Killings Of Media Workers

Rukhshan Mir (@rukhshanmir) Published December 31, 2018 | 07:57 PM

A total of 94 media workers have been killed in work-related incidents in 2018, which means the reversal of the downward trend in the number of such killings, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said on Monday.

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st December, 2018) A total of 94 media workers have been killed in work-related incidents in 2018, which means the reversal of the downward trend in the number of such killings, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said on Monday.

"[The IFJ] today published a list of 94 journalists and media staff killed in work-related incidents during 2018. The new death toll marks a slight increase up from 82 killings recorded last year and represents a reversal of the downward trend from the last three years," the IFJ said in a statement.

All these media workers "died in targeted killings, bomb attacks and cross fire incidents," the statement added.

According to the IFJ, the statistics reflect the "on-going safety crisis in journalism, which was highlighted by the cruel murder of the Washington Post columnist and Saudi national, Jamal Khashoggi" in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October.

"Once again, the IFJ is asking United Nations' Members States to adopt at their general Assembly the Convention on the security and protection of journalists which the IFJ presented to diplomatic missions at the UN in New York last October.

This Convention, supported by the profession as a whole, is a concrete response to crimes committed against journalists in full impunity," IFJ President Philippe Leruth said, as quoted in the statement.

Among the countries with the highest number of killings of media workers are Afghanistan (16), Mexico (11), Yemen (9), Syria (8) and India (7). The list also includes the United States, which was rocked by a mass shooting at the offices of The Capital newspaper in the city of Annapolis in June.

As for regional statistics, the Asia Pacific "has the highest killing tally" of 32. It is followed by the Americas and the middle East with 27 and 20 killings respectively. Africa and Europe come next with 11 and four killings, according to the IFJ.