Reporters Without Borders has just published its annual report on the state of violations of press freedom worldwide. The number of journalists, citizen journalists and collaborators killed in 2018 in the exercise of their profession reached the figure of 81. In 2017, they had been 74, as in 2016.
The most affected countries are logically those in which armed conflict takes place. Afghanistan, with 14 killed, is followed by Syria, with 11 killed, then Yemen (8 killed).
There are countries where conflicts are lurking, limited to a restricted area, and in which the rule of law is failing, such as Mexico (9 killed), India (6 killed), Colombia (3 killed). More worryingly, some countries have no conflicts on their territory but see many journalists killed, as in the United States (6 killed), Brazil (4 killed) and even in Europe, Slovakia (1 killed, as well as the wife of the journalist). The list is not exhaustive.
In addition, 335 journalists, citizen journalists and collaborators are currently imprisoned simply for practicing this profession. Already in 2016, there were a record 259 journalists imprisoned. Record already sadly exceeded.
Intolerable fundamental human rights abuses, which have been progressing every year for some time. Such violence is often committed with impunity, and sometimes even with the explicit support of unworthy political leaders, openly in “war” with the press and inciting to commit these violations of the freedom of the press in order to serve their political purposes.
Freedom of the press is a basic human right guaranteeing freedom to humans. It is part of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Source: Reporters Without Borders
