BRUSSELS, Dec. 31 (Dow
Jones/AP) — The year 2006 was the deadliest for journalists and
news media workers worldwide, with at least 155 killings and
unexplained deaths, the International Federation of Journalists said
Sunday.
The group, which represents half a million journalists in more than 100 countries, said in its annual report that Iraq
continued to be the most dangerous place to work; 68 media staff
members were killed there in 2006, bringing the total since the war
began in March 2003 to 170.
The federation also pointed to continuing attacks on journalists in Latin America, where 37 media staff members were killed. Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela stood out.
Thirteen journalists died in the Philippines, pushing the total of such deaths in Asia up to 34, the federation said.
The federation counts among the deaths all people who were employed
by media organizations and who died performing their duties, whether
reporters, photographers, interpreters or drivers.
Other press freedom groups use more restrictive criteria.
Reporters Without Borders, based in Paris, said in an annual report,
also released Sunday, that 2006 was the deadliest year for journalists
since 1994, with 81 journalists and 32 media assistants killed. A dozen
years ago — the year of the Rwanda genocide — it counted 103 reporters killed.
For the fourth consecutive year, Iraq was the world’s
deadliest nation for media professionals, with 64 journalists and media
assistants killed, up from 29 in 2005, the group said.
The Committee to Protect Journalists,
a United States group that also uses stricter definitions, said earlier
in December that 32 journalists were killed in Iraq in 2006.
The federation saw a hopeful development in the United Nations Security Council’s
unanimous approval on Dec. 23 of a resolution condemning all attacks on
journalists in armed conflicts and urging combatants to stop singling
out members of the media and respect their professional independence.
Reporters Without Borders also said at least 56 reporters in a dozen
countries were kidnapped in 2006. Iraq led the ranking, with 17
journalists seized. The Palestinian territories, where 6 were
kidnapped, came in second.
“All those seized in the Palestinian territories were freed,
but six in Iraq were executed by their captors,” the group said.
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