A December 31 release from the International Federation of Journalists:

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today published its annual list of journalists and media professionals which reports 45 killings during 2021 in 20 countries, a drop from 65 killings recorded last year in 2020. Since 1991, according to the IFJ figures, 2721 journalists have been killed around the world.

The figure represents one of the lowest death tolls since the IFJ began publishing annual reports on journalists killed in work-related incidents, including targeted killings, crossfire fatalities as well as bomb attacks. The Asia Pacific region tops the regional list with 20 killings, before the Americas (10), Africa (8), Europe (6) and the Middle East and Arab World on just one. There was also a deadly accident which cost the lives of two journalists in Iran. While this decrease is welcome news, it is small comfort in the face of continued violence which claimed lives of journalists in countries like Afghanistan (9), Mexico (8), India (4) and Pakistan (3).  This also provides further evidence for a recurring finding in these publications that more journalists and media workers more often than not are killed for exposing corruption, crime and abuse of power in their communities, cities and countries. The risks associated with armed conflict have reduced in recent years due to limited exposure for media professionals who are increasingly fewer in reporting close-up from war theater. At the same time, the threats of crime gang and drug cartels’ rule from the slums in Mexico to the streets of European cities in Greece and the Netherlands continue to increase and account for many targeted killings of media workers in 2021.