International Federation of Journalists: At Least 81 Journalists Were Killed in 2017

The International Federation of Journalists announced in its annual report that at least 81 journalists were killed in 2017 due to their work and profession. According to the Associated Press, the 'Murder Report' published on Saturday, January 9, indicates that violence, harassment, and threats against media personnel saw a significant increase in 2017, with journalists targeted by targeted killings, car bombings, and gunfire in armed conflicts. According to the statistics released, 250 journalists were imprisoned in 2017. However, the International Federation of Journalists states that the number of journalists killed shows a decrease compared to 2016, when 93 journalists were killed. The highest number of journalists killed in 2017 were in Mexico, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Philippe Leruth, the president of the federation, stated that while the number of journalists killed shows a 'downward trend,' the level of violence in the journalism profession remains unacceptably high. He added that the federation has reached a 'very disturbing' conclusion that 'this decrease cannot be attributed to government actions to combat these crimes.' According to the report, eight female journalists were among the dead, two of whom were in Western democracies—Kim Wall in Denmark, who was killed in a submarine, and Daphne Caruana Galizia, an investigative journalist in Malta, who was killed in a car bombing. Aside from the murder statistics, the International Federation of Journalists warned that 'the unprecedented number of imprisoned journalists, those forced to flee, the spread of self-censorship, impunity for murderers, harassment, attacks, and threats against independent journalism have reached widespread levels.' The report noted that Turkey, which has officially increased pressure on the media since the failed coup in July 2016, has become notorious for imprisoning journalists. Approximately 160 journalists are currently imprisoned in Turkey, accounting for two-thirds of the world's imprisoned journalists. The federation also expressed concern about the situation of journalists in India, the world's largest democracy, who are facing violence. The number of journalists killed by country includes: Mexico (13), Afghanistan (11), Iraq (11), Syria (10), India (6), Philippines (4), Pakistan (4), Nigeria (3), Somalia (3), and Honduras (3).