In 2021, 45 journalists and media workers worldwide were killed in the line of duty, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said on Friday.
This is the lowest figure in 30 years since the world’s largest journalists’ organization collected the data. Last year, the IFJ reported the deaths of 65 journalists in connection with their duties, but a total of 2,721 journalists have died since 1991.
At the same time, the organization points to a trend this year that journalists are most often killed in an attempt to expose corruption, crime and abuse of power.
“These 45 colleagues we have lost this year to violence make it clear what terrible sacrifices journalists around the world are still serving in the public interest. We owe it to them and to the thousands of others who have paid this highest price,” said IFJ Secretary General Antoine Belange. adding that the only way to repay this debt is to “continue to strive for justice”.
The International Federation of Journalists represents around 600,000 media professionals worldwide. According to its data, out of 45 journalists who lost their lives in 20 countries around the world this year, 33 have been targeted. Nine media workers have been killed in Afghanistan, eight in Mexico, four in India and three in Pakistan.
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