Syria was by far the deadliest country in the world for journalists in 2012 with as many as 35 killed in the course of their work reporting from the conflict-stricken country.
According to all available lists, 2012 was one of the bloodiest on record for journalists worldwide – and killings in Syria mostly account for the increase.
Among those to lose their lives reporting on the civil war there was Sunday Times foreign correspondent Marie Colvin, killed in February.
According to the International Federation of Journalists, 121 journalists and media workers were killed in 2012 in either targeted attacks or crossfire incidents.
Related
The six most deadly countries in the world (listed by number killed in the IFJ list) are as follows:
- Syria: 35
- Somalia: 18
- Pakistan: 10
- Mexico: 10
- Phillippines: 5
- Iraq: 5
Full IFJ list of journalists and media workers killed.
The International News Safety Institute, which counts killings and accidental or health-related deaths of journalists whilst on assignment counted 156 journalists and media workers who lost their lives at work in 2012.
Meanwhile. the Committee to Protect Journalists has found evidence to suggest that 70 journalists were deliberately killed because of their work last year. In a further 30 cases counted by the CPJ, the motive is unclear but it is possible the journalist was killed because of their work.
In 2011 the CPJ counted 47 targeted killings of journalists, two of which were in Syria.
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