Dangerous Work
Journalist Deaths in Iraq and Around the World
Steven Vincent's death in August of this year highlights the increasing danger journalists face in Iraq. In just two and a half years, almost as many journalists—Iraqi, European, and, fewest of all, American—have been killed as were in ten years of conflict in Vietnam. As dangerous as it is, however, Iraq is not the only country where reporters simply doing their jobs have risked—and often lost—their lives in recent years, as these grim statistics show. —Jonathan Stein
TOTAL JOURNALISTS DEAD, 1995-PRESENT
Deaths in Most
Dangerous Country
Most Dangerous Country
Colombia, Russia, Sierra Leone (tie)
Colombia, Russia, Palestinian Territories (tie)
WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS COUNTRIES FOR JOURNALISTS, 1995-PRESENT
Journalists dead in Russia
Journalists dead in Colombia
Journalists dead in Algeria
Journalists dead in Iraq
2005 (as of 9/28)
TOTAL JOURNALISTS DEAD, IRAQ vs. VIETNAM, OVER TEN YEAR PERIODS
Iraq Dead
Vietnam Dead
A death is included on this list only if research confirms or strongly suggests that a journalist was killed in direct reprisal for his or her work or in cross fire while carrying out a dangerous assignment. Journalists killed in accidents—such as car or plane crashes—are not included unless the crash was caused by hostile action. This applies for all data in this file.
Iraq deaths source: Committee to Protect Journalists
Vietnam deaths source: Freedom Forum
Note: Two journalists have disappeared in the Iraq War. They are not counted here. Missing journalists from Vietnam are considered dead.
Of the 340 journalists killed from 1995-2004, only nine were Americans.
Six provincial radio reporters were in killed in the Philippines in 2004 alone.
Of the 340 journalists killed from 1995-2004, only 19 were female.
Of the 56 journalists killed in Iraq, 51 have been male and five female.
Of those 56, 33 were killed by insurgent action, 13 were killed by US fire, and 10 died from other or unknown hostilities.
Columbia has killed a few journalists every year for decades. But from 1986-present, slightly fewer journalists have died in Columbia than in the two years of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Four journalists were killed in the first Iraq War. Five were killed in the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
Over 80 journalists were killed or "disappeared" in Argentina from 1976-1977. During the military regime of 1976 to 1983, thousands of Argentines, including journalists, were imprisoned, tortured and killed without trial. Many have never been found; they are now called "the disappeared ones."
Thirty-five journalists were killed in a two year period during the Guatemalan civil war.