The report, presented today to the Board of the Paris-based WAN on the eve of the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum in Moscow, Russia, painted a picture of attacks, imprisonment and murder facing journalists in many countries.

“In the past six months, journalists worldwide have once again been the victims of harassment, physical violence and murder. A record number of journalists were arrested and imprisoned in Nepal, Belarus, and Ethiopia. Dozens more remain in prison in China, Cuba and Eritrea. Media enterprises throughout the world have been destroyed or forced to close,” WAN reports.

Thirty-eight journalists have been killed since November 2005. But that number could be even higher claims WAN – press freedom monitors report that journalists are censoring themselves rather than risk their lives in Colombia and the Philippines, two of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists, where murderers operate with impunity. Seven journalists have been killed in the Philippines and one in Colombia in the past six months.

The complete report is available on the WAN web site: WAN Press Freedom Report.

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