Global Journalist Death Toll Drops While Gaza Records Surge
According to the media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the number of journalists who were killed during their work has dropped this year. A total of 24 journalists were killed in connection with their work around the world so far in 2023. In 2022, 61 journalists were killed. The toll marks the lowest number of journalists killed in line with their duty ever recorded.
Gaza is the most dangerous place for journalists in 2023 as per the RSF report, with the strip alone witnessed 13 journalist deaths while covering the war. But the total number of journalists killed in Gaza was 56 as another 43 journalists killed in the conflict were not on duty.
The reports further say that war zones are deadlier for journalists than the countries that live in peace. The reports showed the increase in the number of journalist deaths around the world due to the war, especially the surge in Iraq and Syria where around 600 journalists were killed while doing their job. Another war zone Ukraine also proved to be dangerous, with two journalists covering the war being killed.
RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said that among civilians in Gaza, journalists are paying a heavy price.
RSF also said that it filed a case in the international criminal court for ‘war crime’ over the death of journalists in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch had noted independent inquiries over the Israelis deliberately targeting journalists in Gaza.
When it comes to imprisoning journalists, China has become the “world’s biggest jailer” with 121 media journalists locked up in its prisons and a total of 521 journalists are currently serving jail time across the world.
A video shared on X by Christophe Deloire shows that 23% of the journalists detained worldwide are now in Chinese jails, making it the world’s largest prison for journalists, followed by Myanmar, Belarus, Vietnam and Russia.
However, the post also notes a decrease of nearly 9% in the number of journalists imprisoned around the world between 2022 and 2023.
🔴 @RSF_inter 2023 round-up.
▶️ To this day, 521 journalists are detained worldwide.
▶️ 23% of the journalists detained worldwide are now in Chinese jails.
▶️ China is again the world”s largest prison for journalists (121), followed by Myanmar (39), Belarus (39), Vietnam (36) and… pic.twitter.com/QvEDbPe1HO— Christophe Deloire (@cdeloire) December 14, 2023
