The International Press Institute (IPI) reported that 119 journalists have been killed in 2012, making it the deadliest year on record since the group started recording the deaths in 1997, the group said on its website Wednesday, Nov. 21.
In Latin America, 22 journalists have been killed and countries like Mexico, Brazil, Honduras and Colombia continue the trend of violence against media professionals in the region, said IPI. Seven journalists were killed in Mexico, five of which died in the state of Veracruz alone. The number of killings in Mexico is similar to those seen in the Philippines and Pakistan.
Brazil was the next most dangerous country in the region with four killed journalists, followed by three in Honduras and two in Colombia. The list also included a reporter shot to death in Ecuador by two men on a motorcycle.
The conflict in Syria topped the list of most journalists killed with 36, according to IPI.
“It is deeply disturbing that in spite of a clear increase in international efforts to stop attacks against journalists, this year’s death toll is the highest on IPI record,” said IPI Deputy Director Anthony Mills. "The killing of a journalist is the ultimate, most callous, chilling form of cenorship. Unless we are able to roll back the cynical tide of impunity, these killings will continue."
The report concluded with a reminder that Friday, Nov. 23 is the International Day to End Impunity. IPI said that impunity is one of the greatest hurdles to stopping attacks on journalists.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
