Unpunished murders of press cited in 12 nations, Iraq still tops the list

Unpunished murders of press cited in 12 nations

NEW YORK — Iraq continues to top the list of countries where murders of journalists go unpunished, while such attacks have soared in Somalia and the Philippines, a media group said Tuesday.

Cases of deadly violence against journalists remaining unsolved also rose in Russia and Mexico, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists announced.

“We’ve had repeated pledges from governments that the killers of journalists will face justice,” Joel Simon, CPJ’s executive director said in a statement. “But until these promises are fulfilled, media will continue to be targeted by those who believe they are above the law and immune from consequences.”

The report did include some good news: Two countries that are generally among the world’s deadliest for journalists — Brazil and Colombia — improved by bringing killers to justice.

The media group prepared its annual “Getting Away With Murder” report by ranking nations based on the number of unsolved journalist murders as a percentage of a country’s population.

CPJ looked at murders of journalists between 2000 and 2009 in all countries.

Only countries with at least five unsolved cases make the “impunity index” list.

This year, 12 countries made the media group’s list, ranked in descending order by the number of unsolved journalist murders per 1 million inhabitants:

—Iraq. Since the U.S. invasion in 2003, at least 88 journalists have been murdered, with no convictions.

—Somalia. Nine killings are unsolved, including those of two of Radio Shabelle’s directors in 2009.

—Philippines. The November massacre of 30 journalists and two media support workers in Maguindanao province more than doubled the country’s impunity rating to 55.

—Sri Lanka. Ten journalists have been murdered for their coverage of civil war, human rights, politics, military affairs and corruption, without a single conviction.

—Colombia. The killings of 13 journalists remain unsolved. However, prosecutors last year won convictions against three public officials charged with plotting the 2003 murder of a radio commentator.

—Afghanistan. The seven killings include four international journalists and three Afghans.

—Nepal. Six killings are unsolved, including those of two journalists believed to have been killed by Maoists rebels.

—Russia. Eighteen unsolved killings include three murders committed in 2009.

—Mexico. Organized crime is largely blamed for nine journalists’ murders.

—Pakistan. There are 12 unsolved murders of journalists.

—Bangladesh. There have been no new murders since 2005, although seven remain unsolved.

—India. Seven journalists have been murdered, and their killings not been solved, in the past decade.