The death toll of journalists jumps to 50 percent in 2022, mostly in Ukraine, Mexico, Haiti
Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot dead by Israeli soldiers while covering an Israeli military raid in Jenin, a city in the West Bank for Al Jazeera in 2022.
NEW YORK: The number of journalists killed last year was 50 percent higher than in 2021, mostly in Haiti, Ukraine and Mexico, according to a new report on Tuesday.
Last year saw the highest number of journalist deaths since 2018 when 67 or more media workers were killed, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in its annual report.
At least 41 of them were targeted because of their work while the motive for the killing of 26 other journalists is still being investigated, according to the press freedom advocacy group.
In Ukraine, 15 members of the media were killed, 13 in Mexico and seven in Haiti. It is the highest number of journalist deaths CPJ has ever recorded for any country, the German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
In Haiti, some died at the hands of violent street gangs in the capital, and at least two were shot by police.
“Reporting in Haiti nowadays is very difficult for journalists, especially in the capital,” said Radio Caraibes reporter Mackenson Remy. “Corruption is rampant, there is no one you can rely on.”
Journalists in Ukraine “face great risk, newspaper workers are often injured by gunfire while covering the conflict and some report being targeted by Russian forces,” according to CPJ.
Killings in Mexico are targeted and reward-driven, such as the murder of Tijuana crime photographer Margarito Martinez on Jan. 17, 2022, followed five days later by Lourdes Maldonado Lopez.
Those who ordered the killings were never caught giving the message that “anyone can kill you for US$1,000,” CPJ said.
The death toll also includes Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German, who was stabbed to death outside his home on Sept. 2, with former county civil administrator Robert Telles arrested and charged with murder. Telles, who was investigated by Jeff, pleaded not guilty and will be tried on April 17.
In addition, Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot dead by Israeli soldiers while covering an Israeli military raid in Jenin, a city in the West Bank for Al Jazeera. Israeli authorities have not yet investigated but the FBI has announced it will.
CPJ also reported on the incident of a bomb that exploded outside the home of journalist Victor Mambor in Jayapura, in the Indonesian province of Papua. He however survived.
