Thirty-eight journalists were killed in 20 countries from January to the end of June 2019, including Ukrainian journalist Vadym Komarov.
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"The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) is deeply shocked by death of journalist Vadym Komarov in Ukraine. He had been in a coma since suffering a violent attack on 4 May in Cherkasy, Ukraine. Vadym Komarov was a well-known media professional exposing corruption and uncovering abuses of power. It is regrettable that about one-and-a-half months after the attack the law enforcement have not yet identified the perpetrators nor reported any progress on the investigation. The investigation into the July 2016 murder of Belarusian journalist Pavel Sheremet in Kyiv also continues to be shrouded in mystery. Those responsible for those crimes must be identified and face justice," the PEC said in a report.
It is also reported that during the same period in 2018 (January to June), 66 journalists were killed: the decrease is significant with 42% less casualties than the previous year. This decrease is a positive development, however the trend remains very worrying in two countries. In Mexico, 9 journalists have been killed in six months and 6 in Afghanistan, more than one third of the total of fatalities.
The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with Special consultative UN status. The PEC, founded in June 2004 by a group of journalists from several countries, based in Geneva, is an international independent nonprofit and non-governmental organization. It aims at strengthening the legal protection and safety of journalists in zones of conflict and civil unrest or in dangerous missions.
