Journalists Killed

January 1, 1992—April 3, 2009: 735

Since 1992, the Committee to Protect Journalists has compiled detailed accounts of every journalist killed on duty worldwide.

  • A database analyzing key aspects of each case is available for download:
    Download the database (xls file)
  • Narrative capsules on each case can be found by following the links to the right.
  • A statistical picture of journalist deaths follows. This data, updated quarterly, describes who is being killed, how, why, and where.
WHO WHAT CLOSEUP on MURDER
Job *
  • Print reporters/writers: 31.3%
  • Broadcast reporters: 21.3%
  • Editors: 15.8%
  • Camera operators: 10.1%
  • Columnists/commentators: 9.4%
  • Photographers: 7.6%
  • Producers: 5.6%
  • Publishers/owners: 4.1%
  • Technicians: 2.2%
Medium *
  • Print: 56.5%
  • Television: 27.1%
  • Radio: 19.8%
  • Internet: 1.8%
Gender
  • Male: 93.1%
  • Female: 6.9%
Local/Foreign:
  • Local: 86.4%
  • Foreign correspondents: 13.6%
Freelance:
  • 11.6%
 Type of death:
  • Murder: 72.1%
  • Crossfire/Combat related: 17.5%
  • During other dangerous assignment: 10.2%
  • Undetermined: 0.2%
Type of weapon used:
  • Small arms (includes handguns, rifles): 53.3%
  • Heavy arms (includes artillery, air strikes): 14%
  • Explosives: 10.8%
  • Knives: 6.7%
  • Hands (includes beating, strangling): 4.9%
 Suspected perpetrators in murder cases:
  • Political groups: 32%
  • Government officials: 18.4%
  • Criminal group: 11.5%
  • Paramilitaries: 7.1%
  • Military: 5.9%
  • Local residents: 2.1%
  • Mob: 1.1%
  • Unknown: 21.9%
Impunity in murder cases:
  • Complete impunity: 88.7%
  • Partial justice: 6.4%
  • Full justice: 4.9%
Threatened before murdered:
  • 29.1%
Taken captive before murdered:
  • 18.1%
WHERE WHEN WHY
Top 20 Countries

1) Iraq: 138
2) Algeria: 60
3) Russia: 50
4) Colombia: 41
5) Philippines: 34
6) India: 26
7) Somalia: 25
8) Pakistan: 21
9) Bosnia: 19
    Turkey: 19
11) Afghanistan: 18
     Sri Lanka: 18
13) Rwanda: 16
     Sierra Leone: 16
     Tajikistan: 16
     Brazil: 16
     Mexico: 16
18) Bangladesh: 12
19) Israel: 9
20) Angola: 8
     Cambodia: 8
     Georgia: 8
     Yugoslavia: 8

  • 2009 (through April 3): 11
  • 2008: 42
  • 2007: 66
  • 2006: 56
  • 2005: 48
  • 2004: 60
  • 2003: 42
  • 2002: 21
  • 2001: 37
  • 2000: 24
  • 1999: 36
  • 1998: 24
  • 1997: 26
  • 1996: 26
  • 1995: 51
  • 1994: 66
  • 1993: 57
  • 1992: 42
 Beats covered by victims: *
  • War: 33.7%
  • Politics: 26.4%
  • Corruption: 20.3%
  • Crime: 13.2%
  • Human rights: 12.7%
  • Sports/culture: 5.2%
  • Business: 1.6%

* Adds up to more than 100 percent because more than one category applies in some cases.

** CPJ considers justice fully served when both the perpetrators and masterminds are convicted. If perpetrators are convicted, but the intellectual authors are not, CPJ classifies the case as partial justice.


Methodology

CPJ applies strict journalistic standards when investigating a death. We consider a case “confirmed” only if we are reasonably certain that a journalist was killed in direct reprisal for his or her work; in crossfire; or while carrying out a dangerous assignment. We do not include journalists who are killed in accidents—such as car or plane crashes—unless the crash was caused by hostile action (for example, if a plane were shot down or a car crashed trying to avoid gunfire).

We include only confirmed cases in our database and in the statistical analysis above.

If the motives are unclear, but it is possible that a journalist was killed because of his or her work, CPJ classifies the case as “unconfirmed” and continues to investigate to determine the motive for the murder.

Our archives include narrative capsules of all journalists killed, including unconfirmed cases.



Detailed summaries of all journalists killed on duty
 

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