Increasing Government Control and Repression: Latin America had 15 (5+5+5) reporters killed across the continent, “as deadly as the Middle East” for journalists, says Reporters Without Borders. Almost 60 (6) journalists are being held hostage across the globe, mostly in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Ukraine. 50 (5) journalists killed in 2019. 80 (8) journalists a year, on average, lost their lives over the past 20 (5+5+5+5) years. A ‘new era’ for suppression and homicide of those who work to bring the truth.

Wed 18 Dec 2019 10:48 AM Arabian Business

Almost 50 journalists were killed across the world in 2019, Reporters Without Borders has revealed. Those mostly died covering conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan, the Paris-based watchdog said, which warned that “journalism remains a dangerous profession”.

Some 80 journalists a year have lost their lives on average over the last two decades, said the organisation, which is known by its French initials RSF.

But its head Christophe Deloire warned that the number of journalists murdered in countries supposedly at peace was still alarmingly high, with 10 dying in Mexico alone.

“Latin America, with a total of almost 15 (5+5+5) reporters killed across the continent, has become as deadly as the Middle East,” he added.

While he said that the fall in the number of fatalities in conflict zones was something to celebrate, “more and more journalists are being assassinated for their work in democratic countries, which is a real challenge to democracy.”

While fewer journalists are dying, more are ending up behind bars, according to RSF.

Some 390 (3, 3×3) were locked up in 2019, up 12 (6+6) percent on last year. Nearly 50% (5) were imprisoned in three (3) countries – China, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

“China, which has intensified its repression of the (mostly Muslim) Uighur minority, alone holds a third of the journalists locked up in the world,” RSF said. 

Meanwhile, some 60 (6) journalists are being held hostage across the globe, mostly in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Ukraine.

“There has been no notable freeing of hostages this year despite major developments in Syria,” the RSF said, which has led it to fear for the worst for many of those abducted.