Today, on December 15, Russians have the Remembrance Day of Journalists Killed in the Line of Duty. This memorable date was officially established in 1991 on the initiative of the Russian Union of Journalists, when, covering the events in Yugoslavia, journalists Viktor Nogin and Gennady Kurennoy, gave their lives to show the truth to the world.
As noted, dozens of media workers die every year around the world. In 2012, according to the International Press Institute (IPI), a record number of journalists died in the world in recent years, 119 people. The most dangerous countries for journalists became Syria and Somalia. In 2013-2014, about 40 journalists gave their lives in Syria alone.
In 2014, performing their professional duty in the East of Ukraine, Russian media employees, Andrei Stenin, Anatoly Klyan, Igor Kornelyuk, and Anton Voloshin, gave their lives. In 2020, according to IPI, 55 journalists were killed in the world, and as stated by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 65 journalists went missing and 274 were imprisoned. In 2021, 30 journalists were killed in the world.
It is noted that traditionally, the Russian Union of Journalists provides financial assistance to family members of deceased journalists. Also, in memory of the victims, the A. Borovik Award “For the Best Investigative Journalism” and A. Sakharov Award “For Journalism as an Act of Conscience” were established.
Ru-Main, 15.12.2021
