Fifty reporters killed globally in 2020, most in non-war zones, says Reporters Without Borders

According to the RSF, among journalists killed in 2020, 45 were professional reporters, one deemed non-professional and four were media workers.

Also, 42 of those on the RSF list were "murdered or deliberately targeted," and the rest killed while performing their work.

"Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has tallied 50 cases of journalists killed in connection with their work in 2020 (from 1 January to 15 December)," the organisation said in its annual report, adding that fewer reporters were in the field in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report stated that the number of journalists murdered in war-torn countries has been declining for four years, while on the rise in peaceful zones. On average, seven out of every ten cases of killed reporters occurred in non-war zones this year, the report went on.

The RSF specified that the number of journalists murdered while working over the decade has risen to 937. It also noted an increase in killings of reporters investigating sensitive issues, including crime groups activities, corruption and ecological challenges. Additionally, civil unrest and protests in different parts of the world have contributed to violence against the media in 2020, the report said.

The RSF has also listed the top five countries posing a particular threat to the media in 2020, including Pakistan, Mexico, Afghanistan, India and Iraq.

The RSF has been giving annual reports on the numbers of killed media workers worldwide since 1995.