2018 Worst Year For Journalists – 80 Killed, 348 Detained, 60 Held Hostage (Reporters Without Borders Report)
Journalism is where lives are at risk for doing a job faithfully.
As per The Worldwide Roundup of journalists killed, detained, held hostage or went missing of 2018, this year has seen more journalists abused, killed and subjected to violence than any other year. Journalists were detained, held hostages, missing, and murdered and these journalists included media workers along with professional and non-professional journalists.
All these journalists are guilty of only one thing, portraying the reality of the situations for the world to see.
This report has been drawn up by Reporters without Borders (RSF), which is a tradition they started in 1995. They reproached public figures and politicians for mobilizing the increasing contempt for the news and media.
The RSF specially mentions: Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing inside the Consulate of Istanbul was considered murdered and the Slovak investigative reporter, Ján Kuciak, who was shot dead in his home and many others.
RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said, “Violence against journalists has reached unprecedented levels this year, and the situation is now critical.”
Recently, Time Magazine also honored fearless journalists as Time Magazine’s ‘Person of The Year 2018’ under a group name, ‘The Guardians’.
Contents
Killed Journalists
A total of 80 journalists were killed, in which 63 were professional journalists, 13 non-professional and 4 media workers. 49 of these journalists, that constitutes up to 61%, were murdered or deliberately targeted, while the rest of them, i.e. 31 journalists (39%) were killed while they were on field reporting.
Afghanistan (15 killed), Syria (11), Mexico (9), Yemen, India (6) and the US (6) are the topmost deadliest countries in the world.
Detained Journalists
A total of 348 journalists were detained out of which, 179 are professional journalists, 150 non-professional journalists, and 19 media workers. China (60 held), Egypt (38), Turkey (33), Iran (28), Saudi Arabia (28) are the five countries where more than half of the world’s journalists are being held.
There are also some journalists who are being detained even after the court ordered them to be set free.
Journalists Held Hostage
At present, 60 journalists are held hostage, out of which, 45 are professional journalists, 9 are non-professional journalists, 6 media workers.
Journalists That Went Missing
Three journalists have been reported to have disappeared in 2018.
Horace Greeley, the founder, and editor of American Tribune once said, “Journalism will kill you, but it will keep you alive while at it.” And his words were as good as a prediction for the journalists who had to lose their lives or be subjected to violence and abuse in exchange for putting forth the reality for the public to see and know.
