The Philippines, India ranked in Top 5 ‘deadliest countries for the media’
Reporters without Borders (RSF) has recently released it’s year-end round-up of freedom of information violations and the Philippines and India can now claim the dubious distinction of joining Syria, Somalia and Pakistan in the Top 5 “deadliest countries for the media” rankings.
Image/NJUP Facebook page
The France-based media advocacy organiztion notes, “Syria, Somalia and Pakistan retained their position among the world’s five deadliest countries for the media. They were joined this year by India and the Philippines, which replaced Mexico and Brazil.”
The number of journalists killed in 2013 is 71, down slightly from 2012. However, the RSF reports a big increase (+129%) in abductions and the overall level of violations affecting news providers continued to be very high.
Four out of 10 killings of journalists occurred in conflict zones and 826 journalists were arrested this year.
In addition, a whopping 178 journalists are in prison right now. China, Eritrea, Turkey, Iran and Syria continue to be world’s five leading jailers of journalists.
There were eight journalists killed in India this year. Criminal gangs, demonstrators and political party supporters were to blame in some cases. But local police and security forces were also guilty of rarely-punished violence and threats against reporters, forcing them to censor themselves, the report states.
The number of journalists killed in the Philippines was also eight. The RSF says, “Private militias, corrupt politicians’ thugs and contract killers who work for a few thousand dollars continue to threaten and kill journalists with complete impunity.”
