Iraq and India deadliest for media

GENEVA (Reuters) - Iraq remained the deadliest country for media workers in 2008, followed by India and Mexico, although the number of deaths was down sharply from the previous year, a study showed.

A total of 109 journalists and support staff in 36 countries died while covering the news last year, most of them murdered because of their work, the International News Safety Institute (INSI) reported.

The figure was down from 172 such deaths in 2007, largely due to a decline in the number of media workers killed in Iraq. The death toll there fell to 16 from 65, reflecting a drop in overall violence, the institute said on Tuesday.

"Journalists in far too many countries continue to be targeted for murder for what they do," said Rodney Pinder, director of INSI, which provides security training for reporters covering dangerous situations.

Since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, 252 journalists and other media workers such as translators and drivers have been killed in Iraq.

India and Mexico followed Iraq as the most dangerous places for media professionals with 10 deaths each.

Eight journalists were known to have died in the Philippines and seven in Pakistan, according to INSI.

INSI also noted that three reporters were killed in the first four days of 2009 -- two in a suicide bombing in Pakistan and one gunned down in Somalia.

The Brussels-based institute said journalists, including cameramen and photographers, faced daily dangers covering not only foreign wars but also low intensity conflicts, crime and corruption in their own countries.