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Reports Say
Violence against Journalists
Hit Extreme Levels in 2007
Major freedom of expression groups which monitor global media situation
are in agreement that in 2007, violence against journalists hit extreme
levels and labeled it as one of the deadliest years for journalists and
media workers worldwide in a decade. So many journalists and media
workers were killed on the line of duty while others were jailed,
kidnapped, physically attacked or threatened, and several media outlets
were censored; several bloggers were arrested and thousands of websites
shut down.
In a summary, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) record showed
that 65 journalists were killed in direct connection to their work in
2007, according to the group, the highest death toll in more than a
decade; Reporters Without Borders (RSF) counted at least 86 journalists
killed in the line of duty - up 244 per cent over the past five years.
And at least two a day were arrested and more than 2,600 websites were
blocked; while the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) said
in its annual review that by mid-December 2007, "a horrifying 102
journalists (had) written their last word and broadcast their last
report”;
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which compiles
figures in cooperation with the International News Safety Institute (INSI),
reported that 171 journalists and media workers were killed in 2007;
while the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) said Ninety-five
journalists and other media workers were killed world-wide because of
their professional activities in 2007, with Iraq and other conflict
zones accounting for more than two-thirds of the deaths.
Despite the differences in numbers, all the groups agree that in 2007,
violence against journalists hit extreme levels. Each group uses
different criteria to monitor attacks on journalists and the media.
Iraq remained the world's most dangerous country for the press with at
least 31 journalists - all but one, Iraqi nationals - killed for doing
their job and accounting for about half of the 2007 death toll
worldwide. Many of them were targeted, not simply victims of crossfire
according to the groups’ reports.
CPJ reports that Since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003,
about
175 journalists and media workers have been killed, while RSF puts the
number at over 200, thus making it the deadliest conflict for the press
in recent history.
The next three deadliest countries for media were Somalia with at least
seven journalists killed for doing their work; and Sri Lanka and
Pakistan, both with at least five journalists murdered. According to
CJFE, the three countries share a common trait: "unstable governments
that pursue anti-free expression agendas in order to quash dissent. In
such countries, journalists are portrayed as 'trouble-makers' who act
against national interests."
Colombia for the first time in 15 years recorded no journalists killed
in because of their work, according to the reports.
WAN said the 2007 death toll, released after investigation into all
potential media murders, is the second highest since it began tracking
annual deaths in 1998 comparing with 110 killed in 2006, 58 killed in
2005, 72 killed in 2004, and 53 killed in 2003.
WAN’s report showed that journalists and other media workers were killed
in 25 countries and territories in 2007 as follows: Afghanistan (2);
Brazil (1); Burma (1); China (1); Democratic Republic of the Congo (2);
El Salvador (1); Eritrea (2); Guatemala (1); Haiti (2); Honduras (1);
Iraq (44); Kyrgyzstan (1); Mexico (3); Nepal (3); Pakistan (5);
Palestinian Territories (2); Paraguay (1); Peru (1); Philippines (2);
Russia (2); Somalia (8); Sri Lanka (6); Turkey (1); United States (1);
and Zimbabwe (1).
The RSF report showed that 86 journalists and 20 media assistants were
killed; 887 arrested; 1,511 physically attacked or threatened; 67
journalists kidnapped; and 528 media outlets censored. Online journalism
was not spared as 37 bloggers were arrested; 21 physically attacked; and
2,676 websites shut down or suspended adding that an average of two
journalists were arrested daily according to its report. RSF said the
number of journalists and media workers killed in 2007 signified a 244%
rise over the past five years.
RSF reported that in Africa, eight journalists were killed in Somalia in
a wave of attacks in one of the country’s deadliest years in a decade,
when Islamist militants fought transitional government troops and their
ally Ethiopia. It added that foreign media mostly avoid the country
while local journalists were left in the front line facing violence and
anarchy.
The RSF report stated that four of the eight journalists killed Somalia
in 2007 were murdered by hitmen and three of the four were major media
figures, including the co-founder of Radio HornAfrik, a
well-known commentator and the head of the Shabelle Media press
group. It said most independent media figures had to flee the country
with journalists in Mogadishu fearing that the city will soon be known
as Little Baghdad.
The report also showed that two journalists were killed in Eritrea,
which is at the very bottom of the current RSF worldwide press freedom
index. One was Fessehaye Yohannes (Joshua"), one of the countrys leading
intellectuals, who died in prison at the beginning of the year, probably
because of very harsh prison conditions. A few months later, another
journalist, Paulos Kidane, died of exhaustion a few kilometres from the
Sudanese border while trying to flee the country. He had been imprisoned
and tortured a year earlier.
Unlike other organisations, Reporters Without Borders only counts media
workers it is sure have been killed because of their work. Several
deaths have not been included, either because they are still being
investigated or because they were not connected with press freedom (such
as accidents or other circumstances).
Gruesome as the year 2007 was, INSI pointed out that there were to some
encouraging moves in 2007 that could signify a turning point. These
include more awareness of the grave press freedom situation; seven
northern countries pledging to improve safety for journalists covering
conflicts; international bodies promising to combat impunity for those
who target reporters; the UN standing behind moves to improve journalist
safety; and news organisations providing professional safety training
and modern protective equipment.
Each year, these and other press freedom organisations around the world
monitor the number of journalists killed in the line of duty as well as
other forms of repression against journalists and media workers aimed at
censoring media reportage of wrongdoings in the society. The numbers
vary based on the criteria used by the different organisations.
The full details of the annual reports from these organizations can be
viewed or downloaded from their site using the relevant web links as
follows: CPJ:
http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2007/killed_07/killed.html; RSF:
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=24909; CJFE:
http://tinyurl.com/2zf97g; IFJ:
http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=5638&Language=EN; INSI:
http://tinyurl.com/269zn9; and WAN:
http://www.wan-press.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=873
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