Reporters Without Borders Says 65 Journalists Killed in 2017

A total of 65 journalists and media workers were killed in 2017, the lowest toll in 14 years, according to figures released on Tuesday by Reporters Without Borders.

The non-governmental organization said 60 percent of those killed were murdered. It added that 326 people working in media — including 202 professional journalists — are also being detained.

According to RSF, 26 people "were killed in the course of their work, the collateral victims of a deadly situation such as an air strike, an artillery bombardment, or a suicide bombing."

It said the remaining 39 "were murdered, and deliberately targeted because their reporting threatened political, economic, or criminal interests."

Overall, RSF said the decrease in deaths is due to journalists fleeing "countries such as Syria, Yemen and Libya that have become too dangerous." But it also noted "a growing awareness of the need to protect journalists."

More