Russia’s war in Ukraine, chaos in Haiti and rising violence by criminal groups in Mexico have contributed to a rise in the number of journalists killed doing their work in 2022, according to a new report by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
The IFJ said on Friday that 67 journalists and media workers have been killed around the world so far this year, up from 47 in 2021.
More media workers were killed covering the war in Ukraine – 12 in total – than in any other country this year, according to the IFJ. Most of them were Ukrainian journalists but several foreign reporters also died, with many deaths occurring in the first chaotic weeks of the war.
The IFJ report also called out the fatal shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh who was killed by Israeli forces on May 11 in the northern occupied West Bank.
The report, released on the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Day, also shows that “political repression has reared its ugly head” in 2022. IFJ recorded at least 375 media professionals –10 more than last year – currently in prison for doing their job. Most of those jailed are in China, Myanmar, Turkey, Iran and Belarus.
