Deadliest year ever for journalists?

A new report by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) documents 129 cases where media workers have been killed because of their work during 2004. They expect the number to increase as more information reaches them. This could make 2004 the deadliest year ever.

49 casualties (close to 40%) occurred in Iraq, making it by far the deadliest country for journalists. At least 20 of those appeared to be cases where journalists were directly targeted because of their profession.

Another country that deserved special attention was the Philippines, where 13 journalists appear to have been assassinated in separate incidents because of their reporting. None of the murderers have been apprehended by the police.

In Nepal, two journalists were killed by security forces and one by the rebels. Another journalist was killed by a land mine.