Press Freedom Day
51 media workers have been killed in the first four months of this year. That is 24 percent more than in the same period last year, according to a statement released Thursday by the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) in Geneva.
On the occasion of Press Freedom Day next Sunday, the organization expressed concern about "new very worrying threats faced by media professionals, such as targeted killings by terrorist groups and hacking attacks against media". PEC is also alarmed by the large number of media workers who have been killed by jihadist groups. Of the 51 journalists killed, 21 were shot dead, including eight in the terrorist attack against the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris on January 7. Terrorist groups have also succeeded in paralyzing media with hacker attacks, such as the French channel TV5Monde.
With 17 victims, most media professionals lost their lives in the war zones in the Middle East and North Africa. In Libya alone, where several armed groups are fighting for power, eight journalists were killed. In Yemen, four media professionals have been killed since the increase in fighting in March.
PEC is also concerned about the situation in Ukraine. Of the four journalists who have died there since January, three were deliberately killed. In Central America (Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras), the situation has not improved. Six media professionals have been killed there since January. (SDA)
Teaser image: PEC
