‘Mexico most dangerous country for journalists’

Vienna, Sep 13 (IANS/EFE) A total of 52 journalists were killed across the world this year, with Mexico being ranked the most dangerous country for media persons, press freedom watchdog International Press Institute (IPI) has said.

“In the first eight months of 2010, 52 journalists were killed because of their work. That’s only four fewer than in the same period last year and it’s 52 too many,” said Alison Bethel McKenzie, interim director of the IPI.

“The Americas leads the death toll with 20 journalists killed in the first eight months of 2010. Mexico is currently the most dangerous country for journalists, with 10 journalists having lost their lives since January,” Bethel McKenzie said at the IPI World Congress.

She said: “The threat to peace and understanding among nations and peoples is today as great as it was upon IPI’s founding and the threat to press freedom around the world is undiminished.

“Last year, 110 journalists lost their lives because of their work and now in 2010 we’re well on our way towards a similarly grim toll.”

More than 360 journalists, academics and media experts from 60 countries attended the Congress which began Sunday. The Vienna-based IPI is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

–IANS/EFE