The International Federation of Journalists: 118 journalists killed in 2014

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said that 118 journalists and media staff were killed across the world in incidents in 2014.

Pakistan ranks as the world’s most dangerous country for journalists, with 14 journalists killed in 2014, followed by Syria where 12 journalists were killed. Afghanistan and Palestine account for nine killings each while Iraq and Ukraine witnessed the death of eight journalists each.

IFJ noted that the 118 journalists were killed in targeted, bomb attacks and cross-fire killings. Seventeen other journalists died in accidents and as a result of natural disasters, bringing the total number of deaths among journalists in 2014 to 135.

IFJ President Jim Boumelha called for “action in the face of unprecedented threats to journalists who are targeted not only to restrict the free flow of information, but increasingly as leverage to secure huge ransoms and political concessions through sheer violence.”

“Some media organisations are weary of sending reporters to war zones out of fear for their safety, even of using material gathered by freelancers in these areas,” he said.

Boumelha also warned that “[f]ailure to improve media safety will adversely impact the coverage of war which will be poorer for lack of independent witnesses.”

The IFJ also said that the number of journalists killed in 2013 was 123.

Another organisation, Reporters Without Borders, put the number of journalists killed in 2014 at 66, including 15 in Syria, 7 in Palestine and 6 in Ukraine. One hundred and nineteen journalists were held hostage and 178 were arrested in 2014, the organisation added.

The International Federation of Journalists is the world’s largest organisation of journalists. It was first established in 1926, then it “was relaunched in 1946, and again in its present form in 1952,” according to its official website. It represents around 600,000 members in more than 100 countries.