PARIS
The number of journalists being murdered around the world is falling although such killings are becoming “more and more barbaric” according to a new report released by Reporters Without Borders on Tuesday.
The press freedom watchdog says a total of 66 journalists were killed in 2014, fewer than in 2013, but kidnappings – 119 cases – have increased by more than 35 percent.
Forty kidnapped reporters around the world remain captive, according to RWB’s 2014 round-up of violence against journalists.
Several high-profile murders of captive journalists by militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant earlier this year made international headlines.
Although the number of deaths this year is seven percent less than in 2013, when 71 journalists were killed, RWB highlights an evolution in the nature of violence used against reporters and the way “carefully-staged threats and beheadings are being used for very clear purposes.”
"The murders are becoming more and more barbaric and the number of abductions is growing rapidly, with those carrying them out seeking to prevent independent news coverage and deter scrutiny by the outside world," reads the report.
According to the Paris-based group, Syria remains – for the second year in a row – the most dangerous state to work in. Fifteen journalists have been murdered in the war-torn country.
Seven reporters died while covering events during the Middle East conflict, while six others were killed in Ukraine and another four in Iraq. Four journalists lost their lives in Libya.
Ukraine tops the list for abductions with 33 kidnapped journalists, followed by Libya (29), Syria (27) and Iraq (20).
"Journalists may be detained and taken away in a heavy-handed manner and then freed a few hours later without any explanation being given for their arrest," the RWB report stated.
RWB also revealed that some 178 journalists are in jail for their professional activities. Twenty-nine reporters are serving jail terms in China, 28 in Eritrea, 19 in Iran, 16 in Egypt and 13 in Syria.
As for countries where journalists are threatened or attacked, Ukraine tops the list with 215 cases followed by Venezuela (134), Turkey (117), Libya (97) and China (84).
Since 2005, 720 journalists have been killed. Despite the highly public murder of reporters by ISIL, 2014 has been the least deadly year for journalism in the last decade.
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