50 journalists killed world-wide in outgoing 2020: RSF

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 50 journalists were reported killed in 2020, more than one-third in the countries considered “at peace”, according to Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Tuesday.

RSF, an international NGO that safeguards the right to freedom of information, in a statement said: “While the number of journalists killed in countries at war continues to fall, more get murdered in countries, not at war.”

“Of all the journalists killed in 2020, 84% were knowingly targeted and deliberately murdered, as compared to 63% in 2019. Some were murdered particularly in a barbaric manner,” the statement added.

While seven journalists got killed while covering protests this year, 10 lost lives investigating local corruption or misuse of public funds. Four got killed when they were investigating organized crime activities.

In Afghanistan, four journalist were killed in the past two months in targeted attacks.

Mohammad Elyas Daee, Rahmatullah Naikzad, Malalah Maiwand and Yama Seyawash were among those journalist killed in later part of outgoing year.

The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission  (AIHRC) strongly condemned the killing of journalist and asked security institutions to unearth perpetrators behind the killing of journalists.

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