Journalist death toll in 2004 was worst since 1955

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Lisa Marks
Tuesday May 3, 2005

Reporters Without Borders has branded 2004 "a year of mourning" after 53 journalists were killed around the world.

It is the highest number of deaths since 1955, when at the height of attacks by Islamic radicals in Algeria more than 50 journalists lost their lives.

Robert Menard, the group president of Reporters Without Borders, said: "It goes to show how we're in a period of violence that is beyond common measure, when more people are taking aim at journalists, and wars are more and more dangerous for the press."

Iraq remains the most dangerous place to be, with 19 journalists and 12 of their assistants killed in the country in 2004. More than a dozen journalists have been kidnapped.

The Committee to Protect Journalists this week listed the five deadliest spots for journalists over the past five years. They are Iraq, the Philippines, Colombia, Bangladesh and Russia. So far this year 22 journalists have been killed worldwide - nine of them in Iraq.

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---Brave people. Bloody shame.---