Watchdog: 71 journalists killed in 2013, down from 2012’s very high toll; kidnappings up

PARIS – Reporters Without Borders says fewer journalists were killed this year than last, but many more were kidnapped.

The media freedom watchdog said Wednesday that 71 journalists have been killed in connection with their work this year. That is a decrease from last year’s 88, but 2012 was considered an exceptionally deadly year and this year’s toll is still above those in recent years.

The civil war in Syria has significantly contributed to the rise in journalist deaths in the past two years. Ten were killed in Syria this year.

The conflict in Syria also contributed to a dramatic increase in journalist kidnappings, which more than doubled to 87. Reporters Without Borders said the abductions in Syria — of which there were 49 this year — were also becoming more systematic.