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76 journalists killed in 2009

30 December 2009 10:33 (UTC +04:00)

"Wars and elections have been the main threats to journalists in 2009", said Jean-Francois Julliard, secretary general of the watchdog group (Reporters sans frontieres - RSF). The largest ever massacre of journalists in a single day â€“ a total of 30 killed â€“ by the private militia of a governor took place in the southern Philippines. A total of around 160 journalists in all continents were forced to go into exile to escape prison or death, often in very dangerous circumstances. The Iranian press photographers crossing the Turkish border to escape arrest or the Somali radio journalists fleeing to neighboring countries to avoid certain death had all reported essential news and information that some people would go to any lengths to suppress. Two reporters were killed in these attacks. Journalists and human rights defenders in the Russian Caucasus went through a terrifying year. Reporters in Pakistan have increasingly been targeted by the Taliban in the northwest of the country.
The year also saw an increase in the number of journalists kidnapped (33 compared with 29 in 2008) and physically attacked or threatened (1,456 compared with 929) and more bloggers were censored (151 in 2009 against 59 in 2008).