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CPJ offers database on killed journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has created a layered database of information about 760 journalists killed since 1992.

A broad statistical analysis includes information about specific media positions, gender, type of death and degree of impunity involved in the deaths. The beats most covered by these journalists include corruption (21 percent), politics (36 percent) and war (36 percent). The majority were murdered directly because of their work, while 18 percent were killed in combat and 10 percent due to a dangerous assignment. The perpetrators enjoyed complete impunity in 88 percent of the cases.

In this database, it is possible to hone in on a specific country to access local statistics. For example, in a list of 20 deadliest countries, Iraq is number one with 140 journalists killed. The data says that 99 percent of Iraqi journalists are men and 87 percent of suspected perpetrators belonged to political groups. The majority of journalists worked for television and nine percent of murder victims were tortured, with 99 percent of killers getting away with complete impunity.

Detailed profiles of 33 journalists killed in 2009 are offered. Gunned down, abducted, tortured for being critics of extremism, for challenging abuses of power, the profiles reveal what they endured to protect democratic free speech. In Nigeria, 45-year-old editor Bayo Ohu was investigating fraud at the time of his murder. In Nepal, 27-year-old reporter Uma Singh died of multiple stab wounds; she had been critical of the Maoists, blaming them for the murder of two family members.

CPJ's fallen journalists database