NEW YORK – The November massacre of 30 media workers in the Philippines made 2009 the deadliest year ever for journalists, according to a report to be released today.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent press advocacy group, says at least 68 journalists were killed in 2009, a 60 percent increase over 2008 when 42 deaths were recorded.
“What stands out is that three quarters are killed deliberately for their work, and in 85 percent of these cases no one is brought to justice,” CPJ deputy director Robert Mahoney said in a telephone interview Wednesday. “This has a poisonous effect on good journalism.”
Until the November massacre in the Philippine province of Maguindanao, where 57 people including 30 journalists were killed, 2009 seemed likely to end with 38 killings – a lower death toll than the year before.
The previous one-year record was in 2007, when 67 killings were recorded.
Mahoney said the latest figures still represented a disturbing trend, especially in Somalia where nine journalists were murdered and killed in combat situations.
Four journalists were also killed in Pakistan, making it the second most deadly country in 2009, followed by Russia where three journalists were killed.
Two journalists were killed in both Mexico and Sri Lanka. Other countries with media fatalities were Afghanistan, Colombia, El Salvador, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Nepal, Nigeria, the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Venezuela.
Fifty-six percent of those killed worked for print media, highlighting the continuing importance of newspapers and blogs in covering important stories that may not lend themselves to television.
According to the report, almost all of the victims were local journalists, not foreign correspondents. – AP
March –
IT’S WOMEN’S MONTH!
“Respect and support women
every day of the year/s!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week;
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and “
Made-in-the-Philippines Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
of the Girl Child Week
Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
March 4: Employee Appreciation Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
March 23: International Day for the Right to the Truth
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations
and for the Dignity of Victims
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 27: Earth Hour
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