This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.
RSF's report "pay(s) homage to all of the media professionals who gave their lives in order to keep the public informed, despite the risks they were taking."
They indeed paid dearly. So have Iraqis. War, occupation, and repression "were nothing short of disastrous."
Journalists still face harassment, assaults, detention or death for doing their job. America's southern Iraq Camp Bucca is the Middle East's largest prison for journalists.
On the same day RSF's report was published, gunmen killed Al Iraqiya TV journalist Riyad Assariyeh as he left home.
On January 7, 2012, RSF listed the 10 most dangerous places for journalists in 2011. Overall, 66 were killed, 1,044 arrested, 1,959 assaulted or threatened, 499 censored, and 71 kidnapped. Naming Pakistan the year's deadliest country for journalists, it said one-third of those killed were Middle East-based.
RSF also listed nations where journalists face the most extreme censorship and violence. The top 10 included Bahrain, Ivory Coast, Egypt, occupied Libya, Mexico, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria under siege, and Yemen. Clearly, Iraq's among the most violent and dangerous annually.
As a result, many journalists fled for their safety. Some went to other Middle East countries Others sought asylum in Europe.
Russia Today Highlights the Iraq Problem
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
