Unsolved cases of murdered journalists continued to climb in the past decade as some governments failed in their determination to bring the perpetrators to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.
Iraq, Somalia and the Philippines top a list of 13 countries that failed to solve murders of journalists while other countries, including Russia, have begun prosecuting those responsible, CPJ said in 2011 Impunity Index.
"The findings of the 2011 Impunity Index lay bare the stark choices that governments face: Either address the issue of violence against journalists head-on or see murders continue and self-censorship spread," said Joel Simon, executive director of the New York-based CPJ.
"Convictions in Russia are a hopeful sign after years of indifference and denial," he said. "But Mexico's situation is deeply troubling, with violence spiking as the government promises action but fails to deliver."
The 13 countries with most unsolved cases of murdered journalists from 2001 to 2011 are: Iraq, 92 cases; Somalia, 10; the Philippines, 56; Sri Lanka, 9; Colombia, 11; Afghanistan, 7; Nepal, 6; Mexico, 13; Russia 16; Pakistan, 14, Bangladesh, 5; Brazil, 5 and India 7.
Only countries with more than five unsolved cases are listed. CPJ said the Impunity Index - the first one appeared in 2001 - remains a key indicator to assess levels of freedom of the press and freedom of expression world-wide.
CPJ said Russia and Mexico, two of the world's most murderous countries, have gone in opposite directions in combating cases of anti-press violence.