RSF: 50 journalists killed in 2020, the majority in peaceful countries

In 2020, 50 journalists were killed and nearly seven out of ten were killed in countries at peace and not in war zones, announced Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in its annual report published on Tuesday.

If the number of deaths "remains stable" compared to the 53 journalists killed in 2019, more and more "are murdered in countries at peace", that is to say 34 people, representing 68% of the total number of killed, underlines the NGO which established this count between January 1 and December 15.

The proportion of journalists killed in conflict zones continues to drop, from 58% in 2016 to 32% this year in countries like Syria and Yemen or "areas plagued by low or medium intensity conflicts" ( Afghanistan, Iraq).

Mexico is the deadliest country for the profession with 8 killed, followed by India (4), Pakistan (4), the Philippines (3) and Honduras (3).

Of all journalists killed in 2020, 84% were knowingly targeted and deliberately eliminated, up from 63% in 2019.

"Some were done under particularly barbaric conditions"

"Some were killed under particularly barbaric conditions," said RSF.

Like the Mexican journalist Julio Valdivia Rodriguez of the daily El Mundo de Veracruz found beheaded in the east of the state, and his colleague Victor Fernando Alvarez Chavez, editor of a local news site, cut into pieces in the city of Acapulco.

In India, journalist Rakesh Singh "Nirbhik" was "burned alive after being sprayed with highly flammable hydro-alcoholic gel, while journalist Isravel Moses, correspondent for a Tamil Nadu television station, was killed in machete blows, "reports RSF.

In Iran, it was the state that sentenced to death and then executed by hanging the administrator of the Telegram Amadnews channel, Rouhollah Zam.

Nearly twenty investigative journalists have been killed this year: ten investigating cases of local corruption and embezzlement of public funds, four dealing with the Mafia and organized crime and three working on subjects related to environmental issues.

RSF also notes the deaths of seven journalists covering demonstrations in Iraq, Nigeria and Colombia, a "new fact", underlines the NGO.