100 journalists killed in 2010, media group says

GENEVA - More than 100 journalists were killed in 2010 while covering the world’s trouble spots, with Mexico and Pakistan the most deadly places, an independent media group reported Monday.

The non-government organisation Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) in Geneva said 105 journalists were killed in 33 countries.

A total of 28 deaths — 14 each — were accounted for in Mexico and Pakistan, PEC said, noting the dangers to journalist covering the drug war in Mexico and the conflict in the Pakistan border region.

While this year’s death total is down somewhat from the 122 counted in 2009, it was in line with developments over the past five years, when a total of 529 journalists were killed, PEC said.

PEC general secretary Blaise Lempen called the violence against journalists an “epidemic without a cure”.

After Mexico and Pakistan, the most dangerous spots for journalists this year included Honduras (nine killed), Iraq (eight), the Philippines (six), Russia (five) and Colombia (four).

Three journalists were killed in each of the countries of Somalia, Indonesia and Nepal.