The power of the press is both revered and feared. The adage of the pen being mightier than the sword might philosophically hold true, however, while the words of the press can stand the test of time, the physical beings who pen them are tragically mortal. In countries that grant freedom of the press, that liberty is often taken for granted and the sacrifices made by journalists who suffer suppression, imprisonment, or death at the hands of hostile forces are all too often overlooked.
The Committee to Protect Journalists is a non-profit organization founded in 1982 that seeks to promote free journalism worldwide without fear of reprisal. Part of their effort is aimed at keeping track of and reporting relevant statistics. The following are some highlights from their site (www.cpj.org):
31 journalists have been killed in 2007 134 journalists have been jailed since Dec 1, 2006; one in the United States The countries with the most jailed journalists are Cuba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and China CPJ research shows that even as the Olympics approach, Chinese journalists are still facing severe restrictions Most perpetrators of journalistic murders, 85.7% to be exact, are never brought to justice 112 journalists have died in Iraq since 2003 (73 murdered, the rest in acts of war)
While it is easy to claim these statistics reflect a hazard of the job, in reality they more represent a desperate need by some to silence truth - censorship at its most extreme level. Fortunately, in a cruel twist of irony, killing the messenger does not always kill the message.
By Pamela M.
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