Iraq world’s second-deadliest country for journalists in 2020

Shafaq News/At least 50 journalists and media workers have been killed worldwide this year, the vast majority outside countries at war, according to an annual round-up by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

The review shows that journalists are increasingly being targeted and killed because of their work. Some 84% of journalists killed this year were deliberately targeted, up from 63% in 2019.

This year's data covers January 1 to December 15.

Ten journalists were killed after publishing investigations into cases of local corruption or misuse of public funds and four were killed for their stories on organized crime. Meanwhile, in what RSF noted as a new trend in 2020, seven journalists were killed while covering protests.

The overall number of killings is down from 53 in 2019, with fewer journalists in the field this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But the report notes a worrying increase in the killings of media workers in countries considered to be "at peace." In 2020, 68% of journalists killed were working in countries that were not at war. That's up from 62% in 2019, and 60% in 2018.

Mexico was the deadliest nation for journalists in 2020, with eight reporters killed. The country has seen an average of eight to 10 journalists killed each year for the past five years, the report added.

"The links between drug traffickers and politicians remain, and journalists who dare to cover these or related issues continue to be the targets of barbaric murders," the report said.

Iraq was the second-deadliest country, with six deaths, followed by Afghanistan, with five. India and Pakistan were an equal fourth, each reporting the deaths of four journalists.

RSF's round-up comes days after the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported 2020 to be the worst year on record for the imprisonment of journalists. Globally, at least 274 journalists were jailed, up from the previous record of 272 in 2016, CPJ reported.

In Iraq, the world’s second deadliest country for journalists in 2020, four of the six slain journalists in 2020 were killed while covering anti-government protests, which began in October last year.

Among them were Iraqi broadcaster Dijlah TV’s reporter Ahmad Abdelsamad and cameraman Safaa Ghali, who were fatally shot while covering demonstrations in the south-eastern city of Basra on 10 January.

Ten days later, photojournalist Youssef Sattar was shot in the head and killed while covering demonstrations in Baghdad.

Two Iraqi media workers were also assassinated near their homes in 2020.

Nizar Thanoun, the CEO of Al-Rasheed TV, was killed in February by unidentified gunmen who opened fire outside his home in Baghdad’s Al-Jamaa neighborhood. He died at the scene, and the attackers fled on a motorcycle without a number plate.

In July, Iraqi analyst and researcher Hisham al-Hashemi was shot dead by gunmen who ambushed him outside his home in the Iraqi capital.

Hashemi had an in-depth knowledge of Iraqi affairs, particularly the workings of militant groups such as the Islamic State (IS) group. Friends and colleagues told MEE that he was “a man of conviction” who gave a voice to the voiceless in Iraq.

Iraq was ranked 162nd out of 180 in RSF’s 2020 World Press Freedom Index.

In October, a shadowy arrest warrant was issued in the country for Middle East Eye journalist Suadad al-Salhy over the vague charge of “defamation”.

Salhy has faced risks and threats before: in 2007 she escaped an assassination attempt, while explosive devices were discovered at the entrance of her parents' home in 2014.

RSF and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Iraqi authorities to drop the charges against her immediately. The arrest warrant is yet to be quashed.