PARIS: The number of incidents of violence against journalists covering protests across the world has risen sharply, with police and security forces the main culprits, the United Nations cultural agency said on Monday.

UNESCO said it had counted 21 protests between January and June of this year where journalists were attacked, arrested or killed.

The organisation, whose role includes monitoring media developments, said in a report the spike came as part of "a wider upward trend in the use of unlawful force by police and security forces over the last five years".