65 journalists killed in 2020: Report

Brussels: The International Federation of Journalists has reported that 65 journalists were killed worldwide in 2020, 17 more than in 2019. The federation has released the details on the killings of journalists in its annual report, revealing that the world has returned to a homicide rate of the 1990s. Journalists are being killed through deliberate violence, bombings and shootings. The federation had been counting murdered journalists since 1990. So far, 2,680 journalists have been killed.

The killings are specifically high in 16 countries. "Mexico tops the list of most killed journalists," said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bylancher. In 2020, there were 14 murders in the country.

There were ten murders in Afghanistan, nine in Pakistan, eight in India, four each in the Philippines and Syria, and three each in Nigeria and Yemen. IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bylancher also added that there had been killings in Iraq, Somalia, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Honduras, Paraguay, Russia and Sweden.

As of March 2021, 229 journalists around the world are behind bars. In Turkey alone, 67 journalists are in prison. There are 23 prisoners in China, 20 in Egypt, 16 in Eritrea and 14 in Saudi Arabia.