Iraq and Syria in worst five countries for accountability for murder of journalist, according to Committee to Protect Journalist annual report

NEW YORK — Syria and Iraq are among the top five countries in which the killers of journalists are not held accountable, according to the 2022 annual report of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). published in its annual report on the countries where journalists were killed the most, and where the killers were not held accountable.

Somalia topped the list, followed by Syria in second place, while Iraq ranked fifth.

The CPJ noted that since the enactment of the United Nations (UN) law to protect journalists and hold their killers accountable, few criminals have been brought to justice and held accountable for murdering journalists. In 2022, 236 journalists were killed in the course of their journalistic duty. Only 20% of those murders were brought before a court.

Judy Ginsberg, President of CPJ, said that the failure to apply justice leads to the continuation of violations of the right to freedom of expression.

The report raises alarm and highlights the importance of immediate intervention to protect journalists all over the world, said CPJ in a statement. We call upon the governments of the world to enhance and ensure the safety of journalists, it added.

Iraqi journalists have been targeted since the outbreak of demonstrations in 2019. Some of them have been arrested or kidnapped, while others have been killed by armed groups who continue their crimes and threats to journalists.

At least 17 Iraqi journalists have been killed in the past 15 years. At least 16 have been killed throughout the Syrian civil war.