The Hindu : In the line of fire

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 06, 2002

International

International

In the line of fire

New York June 5. The vast majority of journalists killed in the line of duty during the last decade were targeted for their reporting, according to a study released by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

This comprehensive analysis of journalists killed between 1992 and 2001 draws attention to the risks that the media take to report the news and highlights a disturbing global trend: Of the 389 journalists killed on the job, only 62 or 16 per cent, died in cross fire, while 298 or 77 per cent, were targeted for their work.

Moreover, the CPJ has recorded only 20 cases in which the person or persons who ordered a journalist's murder have been arrested and prosecuted.

That means that in 95 per cent of the cases, those who kill journalists do so without suffering any consequences.

"Journalists in many countries are working without the protection of the law, and they're being murdered as a result," said the CPJ executive director, Ann Cooper. "These journalists are not forgotten, and we must continue to demand justice."

In addition to the list of journalists killed, the CPJ has also released an analysis of the newly revised research: The single deadliest year of the last decade was 1994, when 66 journalists were killed, primarily in Algeria, Rwanda, and Bosnia; 57 journalists were killed in 1993; 51 in 1995; and 37 died last year, including nine journalists who were killed covering war in Afghanistan. Algeria, Russia, Colombia, the Balkans, and Turkey were the deadliest beats during the last decade.

The report documents the extraordinary sacrifice made by combat photographers and radio journalists: From 1992 to 2001, fifty cameramen and photographers were killed, the majority of them died covering wars. Meanwhile, 49 radio reporters were killed, many in isolated parts of the world.

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