67 Journalists Killed, 375 In Prison Around The World In 2022: Report

Russia’s war in Ukraine, chaos in Haiti, and violence by criminal groups in Mexico were some of the reasons for a sharp spike in the number of journalists killed during their work this year.

67 journalists and media staff were killed while 375 of them are currently in prison around the world, revealed a new report released on Friday. The number of casualties increased from last year when 47 scribes lost their lives while doing their work around the world. 

The Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists also tallied that 375 journalists are currently imprisoned for their work, with the highest number in China including Hong Kong, in Myanmar, and in Turkey. As per the report, 365 journalists were behind bars last year. 

Russia’s war in Ukraine, chaos in Haiti — where police opened fire on reporters protesting against the killing of a radio journalist and police detention of another journalist, and violence by criminal groups in Mexico were some of the reasons for a sharp spike in the number of journalists killed during their work. 

With the number of media workers killed on the rise, the IFJ and other media rights groups have called on governments to take more concrete action to protect journalists and free journalism.

“The failure to act will only embolden those who seek to suppress the free flow of information and undermine the ability of people to hold their leaders to account, including in ensuring that those with power and influence do not stand in the way of open and inclusive societies,” IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said in a statement.

As per the report, more media workers were killed while covering the war in Ukraine — 12 in total — than in any other country this year, the IFJ report stated. Of the slain journalists, most were Ukrainians but also included other nationalities too such as American documentary filmmaker Brent Renaud. Many deaths occurred in the first chaotic weeks of the war, though threats to journalists continue as the fighting drags on.

The report called out the shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh when she as reporting from a Palestinian refugee camp. The Arab network this week formally asked the International Criminal Court to investigate her death.

The report attributed five deaths of journalists to the political crisis in Pakistan this year, and warned of new threats to journalists in Colombia and continued danger for journalists in the Philippines despite new leadership there.

The IFJ said “the rule by terror of criminal organizations in Mexico, and the breakdown of law and order in Haiti, have also contributed to the surge in killings.” 2022 has been one of the deadliest ever for journalists in Mexico, which is now considered the most dangerous country for reporters outside a war zone.