United States one of the deadliest countries for journalists: Report

Journalists beware. United States has become one of the deadliest countries in the world for your profile.

A report released Wednesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists reveal over the past year six journalists were killed in the US. Imprisonment, disappearances and hostage-takings too increased.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) the top five most lethal countries in the world for journalists are Afghanistan, Syria, Mexico, Yemen and India. US is positioned sixth and this is the first time the country has been enlisted in the annual roundup’s 23-year history.

In Afghanistan 13 journalists were killed in 2018.

In total 80 journalists were killed this year across the world and mostly in China and Afghanistan. The report adds 61 percent of the killing was in retaliation for their work.

The report adds 43 percent of the killings occurred outside of conflict zones and the recent one is the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey.

RSF’s chief Christophe Deloire said in a statement, “The hatred of journalists that is voiced… by unscrupulous politicians, religious leaders and businessmen has tragic consequences on the ground, and has been reflected in this disturbing increase in violations against journalists.”

The killing of Khashoggi highlights press freedom’s enemies are prepared to go.

Khashoggi was a royal insider of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his started writing against the crown in 2017 for the Washington Post when he moved to US. His death sparked global outrage.