By NNN-Bernama,
New Delhi : Fifty-four journalists have been reported killed while in the line of duty so far this year, with the majority of the deaths in volatile Pakistan and Philippines.
According to the World Association of Newspapers (WAN), data on “media persons killed” until September, journalists, largely in developing and war-torn countries, fell victim.
“It’s so unfortunate that journalists who were willing to work in difficult conditions were killed. There is no security for them in countries without democracy, their voices are often muffled.
“Eventually, authorities have to surrender to the media. They must understand that news cannot be suppressed anymore. There are so many mediums to transmit news now, from mobile phone, interenet to radio,” WAN vice-president Pratap Pawar told Bernama.
Terrorism-plagued Pakistan topped the list with eight journalists killed on duty, seven in Philippines and six in Mexico — among the leading countries — said the Paris-based WAN, a non-profit organisation founded in 1948, with 18,000 publications as members.
In its study, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said 760 journalists were killed between 1992 and today, and another 30 scribes have been reported missing, as of last year.
According to the New York-headquartered CPJ’s website, the missing journalists disappeared while on duty and some of them were feared dead but their bodies not found.
The CPJ has listed Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Russia as the deadliest countries for media persons this year.