BRUSSELS (AP) — The International Federation of Journalists said Tuesday that 104 journalists and media workers have been killed so far in 2024, more than half of whom died during the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The group said at least 138 deaths had been reported since the war began on October 7, 2023, including 55 Palestinian media professionals in the calendar year.
In addition to the global fatalities, the IFJ said the number of journalists in prison was also increasing, with a sharp increase to 520, compared to 427 last year.
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“These sad figures show once again how fragile press freedom is and how risky and dangerous the journalism profession is,” said IFJ Secretary General Anthony Bellanger, adding that the bad situation came at a critical time.
“The public’s need for information is very real at a time when authoritarian regimes are developing around the world,” he said. When it came to prison sentences, the group said China and Hong Kong kept 135 journalists behind bars.
Overall, fatalities were still expected to rise before the end of the year and were already approaching a total of 129 in 2023, the IFJ said.
