At least 56 journalists were killed for their work world-wide last year, the highest toll for the profession in a decade, as Iraq remained the most dangerous place in the world for reporters, a US-based media rights group said Monday. Another 122 journalists were in prison at the end of 2004 around the world, with three quarters held in China, Cuba, Eritrea and Myanmar, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists' annual survey on world-wide press freedom.
China led the list with 42 journalists held in prison by year's end, while 23 were imprisoned in Cuba, 17 in Eritrea and 11 in Myanmar, CPJ's "Attacks on the Press in 2004" report said.
But it was in Iraq where the most journalists were killed, making the conflict "one of the most deadly in recent history for the media," it said.
At least 23 journalists were killed in Iraq along with 16 media workers, as the press faced "banditry, gunfire, bombings, and insurgent missile attacks," CPJ said.
Since the violence made Iraq a "virtual no-go zone" for foreign reporters, international news organisations began relying heavily on Iraqi hires for newsgathering, "putting them in increasing danger," it said.
The report said 17 of the 23 victims were Iraqis, while in 2003 two of the 15 reporters killed were Iraqis. All 16 media workers who died last year were Iraqis.
At least 22 journalists were kidnapped in Iraq last year. While 21 were released, Italian freelancer Enzo Baldoni was executed in August by his captors, a group calling itself Islamic Army of Iraq.
The French journalists Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot were kidnapped in August and released four months later.
The second most common cause of death for journalists in Iraq was fire from US forces, killing at least five Iraqi journalists, the report said.
After Iraq, the second deadliest place in the world for journalists was the Philippines, where eight were killed even though the country "has one of the freest presses in Asia."
The journalists were mainly rural radio broadcasters "gunned down in retaliation for their work."
The CPJ report also criticised Iran's effort to "counter the growing influence of Internet journalists and news bloggers" and Russia's "purge" of independent voices on television.
It also expressed concern over "a new and alarming willingness" among US judges and prosecutors to compel journalists to reveal confidential sources, including with threats of imprisonment.
In a positive development, for the first time in 10 years no journalist was killed for his or her work in Colombia, the report said.
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