At least 128 journalists killed in 2014: PEC

PanARMENIAN.Net - At least 128 journalists were killed in 32 countries in 2014, including nine in Ukraine, the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) independent NGO said on Monday, Dec 15, according to TASS.

"Gaza tops the list, with 16 journalists killed by Israel during the Operation Protective Edge, followed by Syria (13 journalists killed) and Pakistan (12 killed)," PEC said calling 2014 a terrible year for journalists. Iraq and Ukraine come fourth and fifth among the most dangerous places for media work, with 10 and nine journalists killed, the PEC said.

Iraq journalists were killed in 10, 9 in Ukraine, 8 in Mexico, 6 in Afghanistan, 5 in Honduras, 5 in Somalia, 4 in Brazil, 4 in Central African Republic, 3 in Cambodia, 3 in Guinea, 3 in Paraguay and 3 in Philippines.

"New conflicts for media workers opened in Ukraine, in the Israeli assault on Gaza, which led to the killings of many media workers, and in Syria, the situation was unprecedented with the beheading of journalists recorded in video clips," the organization said.

"Compared to 2013, when 129 journalists were killed, the figures are very close," the NGO said.

According to the PEC, more than 1,000 journalists have been killed in the past nine years.