‘A spotlight on gross abuse’: 42 journalists killed around the world in 2020 in pursuit of truth: report
More than 40 journalists and media workers around the world were killed and another 200-plus were imprisoned while doing their jobs this year, according to a grim report released ahead of the International Day for Human Rights.
According to the International Federation of Journalists, Mexico topped the 2020 list of countries where the most journalists were killed, with 13 of the 42 deaths across the world. Mexico led the list for the fourth time in five years.
Five were killed in Pakistan. Afghanistan, India, Iraq and Nigeria recorded three killings each.
The journalism federation, which has 600,000 members in 150 countries, also counted scores of journalists who have been jailed, often without charges, by governments trying to escape prying eyes.
“These findings shine a spotlight on gross abuse by governments who seek to shield themselves against accountability by jailing journalists and denying them due process,” said federation president Younes Mjahed.
“The staggering numbers of our colleagues in detention is a sober reminder of the exacting price journalists around the globe pay for their pursuit of truth in the public interest.”
The release of the new numbers coincides with an online conference on press freedom organized by the Dutch government and the United Nations’ cultural agency, UNESCO, that opened Wednesday.
Although the new toll indicates a downward trend, human rights activists warned against complacency in the face of deadly danger and constant threats.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said the Hague conference would highlight the essential role of reporters.
“Not only are journalists conveying vital information during the pandemic, they also help us distinguish all manner of truth from falsehood, which is fundamental to our social contract,” she said.
