The year 2005 was the deadliest in 10 years for reporters, a report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) revealed. According to the report, at least 63 journalists and other media assistants were killed last year. It also disclosed that Iraq remains the world’s most dangerous country to practice journalism in, with over 76 journalists and media assistants having been killed in the line of duty in Iraq since March 2003. Aside from US army attacks, terrorist strikes and guerilla conflicts continue to take the lives of journalists in Iraq.

While death threats and attacks continue to haunt journalists in many countries, addressing media killings has proven to be a very tricky issue. "In so many cases, investigations into the deaths of journalists are hampered by the failure to interview witnesses, the inability to follow leads, lost evidence, a desire to cover up, corruption, judicial partiality, inertia or even plain apathy," says Johann P. Fritz, of International Press Institute (IPI) in a World Press Freedom Review aptly titled “Impunity Lives, while Journalists Die.”

FYI: Press freedom: a perilous business around the world

- Between 1992 and 2002, 523 journalists were killed across the world: 128 were murdered for their political opinions, 67 were killed for having exposed corruption, and 179 were killed while covering stories in conflict areas.

- In 2005, 63 journalists and 5 media assistants were killed, at least 807 were arrested, and 1,308 physically attacked or threatened. 1,006 media outlets were censored.

- As of 1 January 2006, 126 journalists and 70 cyber-dissidents were documented to be in jail around the world.

Sources:
“Violence still increasing: 63 journalists killed, more than 1,300 physically attacked or threatened” by Reporters Without Borders from Bulatlat weekly magazine, Vol. V, No. 47. Posted January 8-14, 2006, <http://www.bulatlat.com/news/5-47/5-47-press.htm>.
“World Press Freedom Day 2003” by UNESCO <http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=8757&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html>.

Impunity does seem to remain the rule for many Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines. Second to Iraq in level of danger, the Philippines blames the increasing attacks against journalists on “the violent culture and the open support of public officials on the proliferation of death squads.” The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) reports that since 1986, more than 50 journalists have died violently in the country. Yet, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reports that in almost two decades, there has been only one conviction for the death of a journalist—the killer of Edgar Damalerio, affiliated with the public radio station DXKP and editor of the Zamboanga Scribe, who was shot at point-blank range in 2002.

Journalists also continue to be killed in the line of duty in other Asian countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In Lebanon, physical attacks on journalists have escalated. “The scope of assassinations has expanded to include journalists who simply ask questions" said Joseph Samaha, editor-in-chief of a local newspaper.

Other problems that face journalists are the rising cases of censorship, which increased to 1,006 in 2005 from 622 the previous year, and control over online freedom of expression. Censorship continues to rule in Nepal, China, Belarus, Kazakhstan and most of Central Asia, where newspapers can be shut down for criticising the government. The internet is being tightly controlled in some repressive countries, with daily lists of government topics to avoid given to media and website editors. In Iran, for example, the information ministry is reported to regularly restrict access of citizens to thousands of websites and regularly cracks down on sites with sexual content, independent news sites and bloggers.

Sources:

“Journalists killed in the line of duty” by the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ). Posted February 20, 2005 in the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) website <http://www.pressinstitute.ph/>.

“IPI Releases World Press Freedom Review: Impunity Lives, while Journalists Die” by International Press Institute, Vienna. Posted March 22, 2005 in IPI Website <http://www.freemedia.at/Protests2005/pr_WPFR22.03.05.htm>.

“Violence still increasing: 63 journalists killed, more than 1,300 physically attacked or threatened” by Reporters Without Borders from Bulatlat weekly magazine, Vol. V, No. 47. Posted January 8-14, 2006, <http://www.bulatlat.com/news/5-47/5-47-press.htm>.

“Violent culture blamed for journalists killings” by Ben O. Tesiorna, Philippines. Posted January 31, 2005 in Sun Star Network Online <http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2005/01/31/violent.culture.blamed.for.journalists.killings.html>.