The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today issued its report on journalists and media workers who died in the exercise of journalism in 2009. The report provides detailed information of media killings, including 32 victims of a single massacre in Maguindanao, the Philippines, last November.

"The report is more than just a record of the death toll of journalists and media workers killed in 2009," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "More importantly, it provides a chilling account of risks and dangers which continue to claim our colleagues' lives in the four corners of the world."

The IFJ says that 2009, one of the worst years for journalists' killings, capped a violent decade which put journalism to the sword and left record numbers of murders of media people. According to the report, the death of Michelle Lang, the Canadian reporter killed in Afghanistan on 30 December and the confirmation of murder of photographer Jepon Cadagdagon in the Manguindanao massacre brought the 2009 total of media killings to 139.

The Asia Pacific region recorded the highest death toll with 52 followed by the Americas with 30 killings, including 13 murders of journalists in Mexico alone.

The IFJ reports warns that the levels of violence against media witnessed last year raise the likelihood of another massacre in places like lawless Somalia and gangster-ruled  parts of Mexico.

"The failure of governments to take seriously the issue of media protection plays in the hands of men of violence," added White. "This can only be tackled by an unwavering commitment to end Impunity for journalists' murderers." 

The IFJ full report on journalists and media staff killed in 2009 is available here

For more information contact + 32 2 235 22 07

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 125 countries worldwide