BRUSSELS, Belgium — This year has been one of the worst on record for the deliberate killing of reporters and media staff, an international journalists’ association said Thursday.
A total of 137 journalists and media personnel were killed in 2009, according to the Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists.
It said 113 were singled out because of their profession and 24 died accidentally.
The 113 “targeted killings” tally was one of the highest ever recorded, the federation said. It listed the Philippines, Mexico and Somalia as the most dangerous countries for journalists this year.
The 2009 death toll of 137 compares with a federation tally of 109 and 175 in 2008 and 2007, respectively.
The federation represents more than 600,000 journalists in 125 countries. Its death tally covers all people employed by media organizations who died in the line of duty, including not only journalists but also interpreters and drivers.
Iraq - the most dangerous country for media workers during much of the past decade - saw five media deaths in 2009, down from 16 in 2008, according to the federation.
The Philippines, with 38 deaths including 31 media workers in a single massacre in November, logged the most slayings. The federation listed these other countries with high numbers of media fatalities: Mexico (13), Somalia (9); Pakistan (7) and Russia (6).
The full federation report on 2009 media deaths will be published in mid-January.
Front Section, Pages 6 on 12/31/2009