Around the world, at least 46 journalists were killed for their work in 2011, and another 35 deaths are being investigated to determine whether they were journalism related, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists' (CPJ) annual report documenting attacks on the press, reported the news agency AFP. For the second year in a row, the CPJ report named Pakistan as the deadliest country for journalists, said Radio Free Europe, and CPJ said Mexico is first worldwide for retaliation against reporting done via social media.
In a global look at the most pressing issues facing journalists, CPJ's annual report, "Attacks on the Press in 2011," highlighted a worldwide increase in imprisoned journalists, strengthened efforts to fight impunity, a heightened need for safety preparation and physical security for journalists, and a continuing battle against censorship. CPJ also noted that cybercrime laws potentially are threatening freedom of expression, and the report called attention to the fact that, despite more discussion about sexual violence against journalists after the attack on CBS correspondent Lara Logan who was reporting from Egypt, little progress or changes have been made.
In the Americas, CPJ noted how in some Latin American countries, like Venezuela, Ecuador and Nicaragua, state-owned media are used to attack independent journalists. And in Mexico, "silence or death" often is the only option for journalists, as, when it comes to violence against the Mexican press and impunity for crimes against journalists, President Felipe Calderón and his administration "have failed at nearly every turn," CPJ said. See this CPJ video for an account of the dangers of reporting in Mexico from journalist Javier Valdez Cárdenas.
Other notable numbers from CPJ's Americas section of the annual report show:
