The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today published its full annual report on journalists and media staff killed in 2022. The 32nd report details 68 killings of media professionals, including targeted and bomb attacks and crossfire deadly incidents. There were also 11 deaths due to accidents and illness.
The roll call of loss and tragedy in journalism during 2022 is dominated by the death tally in Ukraine, where 12 journalists and other media workers were killed, followed by Mexico (11), Haiti (7), Pakistan (5) and Colombia and the Philippines at 4 killings each.
The IFJ says that the lack of action and political will to tackle impunity for crimes committed against journalists is contributing to the current safety crisis in media and calls for an International Convention at the United Nations dedicated to the protection of journalists and media professionals.
“This publication is not only about the levels of violence targeting journalists and other media workers, indicated by the sheer number of attacks against them, but also the underlying causes,” said the IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger. ” The details contained in this report serve as evidence of the range of threats, actual acts of violence and the culture of impunity, which account for the enduring safety crisis in journalism.”
The Federation’s final report also lists the names of 375 journalists and media workers currently behind bars, a new high since two years ago when the IFJ began publishing lists of jailed journalists to mark the International Day for Human Rights. China and its allied administration in Honk Kong top the list with 84 journalists in jail, before Myanmar (64), Turkey (51) and Iran (34) and Belarus (33) .
Download the full report here.