RWB: '2012 was the deadliest year for journalists'

Press freedom campaign group Reporters Without Borders reports the number of journalists killed in 2012 was 88, a figure the group describe as "unprecedented" and makes 2012 the deadliest year for journalists since RWB began producing its annual roundup in 1995.

RWB said: "With a one-third rise in the number of journalists killed in connection with their work over 2011, and a record number of journalists in prison, persecution of media personnel has rarely posed such a major threat to freedom of expression."

2012 in numbers

• 88 journalists killed (+33%)

• 879 journalists arrested 1993 journalists threatened or physically attacked

• 38 journalists kidnapped

• 73 journalists fled their country

• 6 media assistants killed

• 47 netizens and citizen-journalists killed

• 144 bloggers and netizens arrested

The worst-hit regions were the Middle East and Northern Africa (with 26 killed), Asia (24 killed) and sub-Saharan Africa (21 killed). Only the western hemisphere registered a fall in the number of journalists killed.