JournalismPakistan.com | Published December 30, 2018
Join our WhatsApp channelIn its 29th list, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) says that this year’s roll call of loss of lives to violence includes 84 journalists, cameramen, fixers and technicians who died in targeted killings, bomb attacks, and crossfire incidents.
Ten other media staff members who worked as drivers, protection officers, and a sales assistant also lost their lives. There are six women among the 94 victims. There were also three work-related accidental deaths.
The IFJ list for 2018 paints a situation of on-going safety crisis in journalism, which was highlighted by the cruel murder of the Washington Post columnist and Saudi national, Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October. This was the latest in a series of devastating attacks on media professionals, including the multiple bomb attacks which turned Afghanistan into a killing zone for journalists and the reign of violence by organized crime in Mexico which remains firmly trained on journalists.
“These brazen acts of violence in utter disregard to human life have brought to an abrupt end the short-lived decrease in journalists’ killings recorded over the last three years,” said IFJ President Philippe Leruth. “Once again, the IFJ is asking United Nations' Members States to adopt at their General Assembly the Convention on the security and protection of journalists which the IFJ presented to diplomatic missions at the UN in New York last October. This Convention, supported by the profession as a whole, is a concrete response to crimes committed against journalists in full impunity.”
In another worrying development, the list includes five journalists and media personnel of Capital Gazette, a daily published in Annapolis, the capital of US state of Maryland were gunned down by a disgruntled individual who had lost a defamation case against the publication in what police described as a ‘ deliberate attack.’
According to the IFJ list for 2018, armed conflict and militant extremism account for most journalists’ killings in countries like Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen, while there was a steep drop in violence against journalists in Iraq last year since armed groups lost ground in the country. But there were other factors such as the increasing intolerance to independent reporting, populism, rampant corruption, and crime as well as the breakdown of law and order afflicting countries in so-called peacetimes like India, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
These factors contribute to perpetuating an environment in which, consistently, there are more journalists killed for covering their communities, cities, and countries than for reporting in armed zones.
“The numbers on this list are a sad reminder that the safety of journalists will remain elusive as long as countries boasting institutions which should be enforcing the law but have been paralyzed by corruption and incompetence in the face of an unrelenting assault on journalism,” added IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger. “As such, they stand as a damning indictment of the authorities for their failure to uphold the journalists’ right to their physical safety and to guarantee an informed public discourse in a democracy.”
According to IFJ records for 2018, the Asia Pacific has the highest killing tally with 32, followed by the Americas on 27 killings, the Middle East and the Arab World recording 20. Africa comes fourth with 11 killings before Europe on four.
The statistics on journalists and media staff killed in 2018 are as follows. As of 31 December 2018, the IFJ has recorded the following cases of killings:
Targeted, bomb attacks and crossfire killings: 94
Accidents and Natural Disasters Related Deaths : 3
Total Number of Deaths: 97
Countries with the highest numbers of media killings are:
Afghanistan 16, Mexico 11, Yemen 9, Syria 8, India 7, Pakistan 5, Somalia 5, USA 5, Philippines 3, Ecuador 3, Brazil 3, Colombia 2, Palestine 2, Guatemala 2. - IFJ media release
December 05, 2024: UNESCO and IRADA hosted a national consultation in Islamabad, calling for inclusive Internet governance reforms in Pakistan to protect digital rights, freedom of expression, and access to information through multi-stakeholder collaboration.
December 04, 2024: A viral video claiming journalist Matiullah Jan was expelled from PMA has been debunked by iVerify Pakistan. The video, edited with AI, originates from the drama serial Ehd-e-Wafa.
November 30, 2024: Journalist Matiullah Jan has been released from Adiala Jail after securing bail, ending fears of a potential transfer to Attock Jail. He expressed gratitude to supporters and shared light-hearted moments about his custody.
November 30, 2024: Daily Dawn condemns the arrest of journalist Matiullah Jan as a misuse of the law. The editorial highlights concerns over the state's weaponization of legal provisions against journalists, activists, and dissenters.
November 30, 2024: The Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court has granted bail to journalist Matiullah Jan in a case involving drugs and terrorism charges. He was released on a surety bond of PKR 10,000 following the suspension of his physical remand by the Islamabad High Court.
November 29, 2024: The Lahore High Court has ordered the production of journalist Shakir Mahmood Awan’s alleged kidnapper by Monday while summoning IG Punjab and demanding CCTV footage from Safe City.
November 29, 2024: Suno TV faces criticism for targeting senior journalist Matiullah Jan with a smear campaign following his controversial abduction and arrest. This raises serious concerns about media ethics and press freedom in Pakistan.
November 29, 2024: WISPAP has requested the Ministry of Interior to extend the deadline for VPN registration in Pakistan, citing the need to ensure compliance amid increasing VPN usage after platform bans.
December 05, 2024 Over 50 journalists protested in Kuala Lumpur against proposed amendments to the Printing Presses and Publications Act, which threaten press freedom. IFJ and NUJM urge the government to withdraw the bill and engage in stakeholder consultation.
December 04, 2024 The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 faces uncertainty as Pakistan's hosting rights clash with India's refusal to participate. A political and financial standoff unfolds.
December 03, 2024 Submit your work for the Global Shining Light Award by February 28, 2025. Celebrate investigative journalism from the Global South at the Kuala Lumpur conference.
November 21, 2024 Investigative journalist Rana Ayyub received over 200 threats after her phone number was leaked on social media by a right-wing content creator. IFJ and IJU demand Maharashtra authorities take immediate action against those responsible for this targeted online harassment.
November 20, 2024 Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Germany is accepting applications for its 2025 Berlin Fellowship Program, offering journalists from crisis areas six months of digital security training, networking opportunities, and more.