As many as 27 journalists lost their lives around the world in 2000 while defending press freedom, according to a press release issued by the Pakistan Freelance Journalists Association (PFJA). Although the figure is comparatively lower than the totals recorded over the past decade, the sharp rise in abductions has become a serious cause for concern, the statement added.
The PFJA report noted that 73 journalists were imprisoned across 25 countries during the same year. Encouragingly, no cases of journalists being killed were reported from the United States, Canada, Japan, France, or Western Europe.
However, in Pakistan, the press release expressed deep concern over the reported custodial death of a journalist associated with a Lahore-based English newspaper, allegedly while in the custody of Rawalpindi police.
