04. 01. 2006

RECORD NUMBER OF JOURNALISTS MURDERED

NEW YORK, January 4, 2005 – The death toll of journalists murdered in 2005 reached 63 worldwide, while 1308 were exposed to psychological torture. According to the findings of the Reporters without Borders’ annual survey, 5 media assistants also lost their life on assignment, while 807 journalists were imprisoned. That compares with 53 deaths of journalists and 15 media assistants in 2004, 907 journalists were arrested, and 1.460 physically attacked or tortured. For the third year running, Iraq is rated the most dangerous place for journalists in 2005, with 24 journalists and 5 media assistants killed. 75 journalists and media assistants have been killed there since the start of fighting in March 2003. The Philippines come second, with 7 journalists killed while trying to inform the public. Their enemies were no longer armed groups but politicians, businessmen and drug-traffickers ready to silence journalists who exposed their crimes.