Six Russian media workers were targeted and killed in 2009, making Russia No. 5 on the International Federation of Journalists’ casualty list. In addition, three other Russian journalists were killed in accidents, according to another list published by the International News Safety Institute.
The Philippines top the list followed by Mexico, Somalia and Pakistan and Russia.
Upon publishing the list, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) called for more action from governments and the United Nations to protect media as it announced a grim total of 137 journalists and media personnel killed worldwide during 2009. The number of targeted killings at 113 is one of the highest ever recorded says the IFJ, despite calls by the United Nations for governments to put an end to impunity.
According to the International News Safety Institute the great majority of the casualties in 2009 were not international war correspondents but local journalists working in their own countries, mostly in peacetime, covering dangerous stories such as high level crime and corruption.
In January 2009, Editor of the Murmansk-based news site RIA51.ru, Shafig Amrakhov, died from the shot wounds he got from unknow attackers on December 30th 2008, as reported by BarentsObserver. Mr. Amrakhov was shot shot several times against the head outside his home in Murmansk.
