PEC: 35 journalists killed in first 6 months of 2021

Shafaq News/ At least 35 journalists have been murdered in 21 countries around the world between January and June of 2021, according to the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC).

Of them, two journalists were killed in Bangladesh, says a media statement.

Afghanistan was the most dangerous country for the journalists with five murders.

Mexico and Pakistan reported three casualties. Other than Bangladesh, two journalists were killed in Azerbaijan, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and India.

Meanwhile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Gaza, Greece, Haiti, Lebanon, Nigeria, Somalia, Turkey, United States of America, and Yemen reported one victim each.

The PEC strongly condemns these killings and urges the local authorities to shed light on the causes of these crimes in order to arrest and prosecute those responsible," said PEC General Secretary Blaise Lempen. 

The casualty figure is stable compared to the previous year when 35 media workers were killed during the same period. At least 57 journalists were killed in last six months of 2020.

"For the remainder of the year, we are particularly concerned about the situation of the media in Afghanistan, and in particular of women journalists in that country, due to the withdrawal of NATO troops," Blaise Lempen said.

Most of the victims were targeted intentionally. Almost half of the journalists were killed in an area of armed conflict like Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Nagorno-Karabakh, Gaza, Tigray, North Kivu, tribal areas in Pakistan, and Somalia, reads the statement. 

It also said terrorist groups are responsible for nearly a third of the casualties.