In third world countries, journalists are still paying a high price for exposing the truth. According to Reporters Without Borders, 88 journalists lost their lives in 2012 while covering wars and gang fights in different countries.

Recent killing of journalists and media persons increased 33 percent, compared to last year’s statistics. The reason for the large number of journalists killed in 2012 is mainly wars in Syria, Somalia, Pakistan and Libya and drug and gang wars in Mexico.

Syria again proved the deadliest country for journalists in 2012 with 28 journalists lost their lives while covering street fights between Free Syrian Army and Assad forces. Fifteen Journalists lost their lives in Somalia while covering the conflict between government and Al Shabab rebels.

Mexico drug and gang wars took 12 lives of journalists, most of them kidnapped and killed brutally by notorious drug gangs. And Pakistan is still a hard field for journalists.

Khawaja Umer Farooq
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia