Over the past 15 years, hundreds of journalists have been killed and perpetrators have often gone free. In an attempt to shed light on this picture, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has compiled comprehensive statistics on these deaths of media professionals around the world.

The database analysing key aspects of each case updated quarterly describes who is killed, where, how, and the motives behind deaths. The statistical picture of journalist deaths includes suspected perpetrators, type of death, and level of impunity.

According to CPJ, 72.7 percent of journalists killed are murdered. Twenty nine percent of suspected perpetrators in cases of murder are political groups, while 19.3 percent are government officials. Nearly 85 percent of journalists’ killers in the last 15 years faced neither investigation nor prosecution for their crimes, CPJ found.

Topping the list of countries with the highest number of deaths is Iraq with 109, followed by Algeria with 60. While both these countries have been inflicted with war, not all on the list are similar, as Russia placed third with 47 deaths.

Journalists working in print comprise the greatest number of casualties at nearly 60 percent.

“In many of the countries where journalists are most vulnerable to attacks, such as Iraq, Colombia, and Russia, newspapers do some of the strongest investigative reporting and print publications are among the most popular ways for consumers to get the news,” Andrew Levinson of CPJ said.

According to CPJ, strict journalistic standards are applied when investigating each death. In cases where motives are unclear, yet it remains possible that a journalist was killed as a result of his or her work, the cases are classified as “unconfirmed” and investigations continue into the motive of the murders. Only those cases confirmed are included in the database and in the statistical analysis.

Narrative capsules on each journalist killed are also available, including unconfirmed cases.

Levinson said CPJ’s statistics are a useful indicator of journalists’ conditions in countries around the world, showing how they evolve year by year.

“The statistics help focus attention on the deadliest countries for the press, and help give context when a journalist is hurt, whether it is an isolated incident or part of a larger pattern,” Levinson stressed. “Having a solid record of journalists’ killings helps put pressure on authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice, and help stop attacks on the press.”

“Ultimately we hope the statistics for journalists killed and imprisoned can be used to end impunity, to free journalists from jail, and help stop the killings of journalists in retaliation for their work,” he concluded.

To view the statistics, visit: http://www.cpj.org/killed/killed_ar....

To visit the World Association of Newspapers Press Freedom pages, visit: http://www.wan-press.org/rubrique.p...