The American-based Committee to Protect Journalists says 261 journalists have been murdered in connection with their work from September 1st in 2013 until AUG 31 this year. During that 10-year period, no-one has been held to account in more than 78% or 204 of the cases.

Journalists killed in the Israel-Gaza war that began on October 7th are not included here because their deaths fall outside of the 10-year index period.

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian journalists interviewed by CPJ for the “Deadly Pattern” report published earlier this year said their coverage had been undermined by escalating fears for their safety after the Israel Defense Forces fatally shot Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh in May 2022.

CPJ’s investigation found that no-one had been held accountable for the deaths of 20 journalists by Israeli military fire in 22 years.

“The impunity in these cases has severely undermined the freedom of the press, leaving the rights of journalists in precarity,” noted the report.

(Israel is not listed in the impunity index because fewer than five journalists killed during the index period are classified as having been targeted for murder.)

Haiti now ranks as the world’s third-worst impunity offender, behind Syria and Somalia respectively.

Somalia, along with Iraq, Mexico, the Philippines, Pakistan, and India, have been on the index every year since its inception.

CPJ/Aljazeera