MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Swiss organization says 141 journalists were killed in 2012

The number soared 31% over 2011 according to PEC

A record number of journalists, 141 in 29 different countries, were killed globally in 2012, according to data of the Swiss-based Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), which fights for the protection of journalists. At least 28 of them were killed in Latinamerica.

PEC said in 2012 the murders of journalists increased by 31% compared with 2011. Its data further indicates that at least 37, among them 13 working for foreign media, were killed in Syria.

Four journalists are reported missing or detained: Ukrainian Anhar Kochneva, Jordanian-Palestinian Bashar Fahmi, freelance US reporter Austin Tice and another American reporter James Foley.

The situation in Somalia has deteriorated dramatically, where 19 journalists were killed, said the PEC.

Three Latin American countries followed among the most dangerous places for news coverage: Mexico with 11 journalists killed, Brazil also with 11 dead, and Honduras, where another six were killed.

The Philippines ranked number seven with six killed, followed by Bangladesh and India with four each, said the PEC.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists for its part said last month that 67 reporters were killed in 2012, up 42% from the previous year, due in large part to the Syria conflict, shootings in Somalia, violence in Pakistan and killings of reporters in Brazil.

The Paris-based press rights group Reporters Without Borders, (RSF) meanwhile put the number of those killed at 88 last year.