GENEVA, Dec 17: Record numbers of journalists have been killed around the world this year, with at least 110 dying in 27 countries, the media defence group Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) said Monday.

“This year’s tally represents a 14 percent increase over the 2006 figure,” said Secretary-General Blaise Lempen. “It is unacceptable. We strongly condemn these acts of violence.” About two thirds of the deaths this year took place in major conflict zones, such as Iraq, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the PEC study.

For the fifth straight year Iraq ranked as the most dangerous place for the media, with 50 journalists killed this year.

At least 250 journalists have died since the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, said Lempen.

“The situation in Iraq represents an unprecedented situation of collective slaughter and punishment of members of the media profession,” said a PEC statement.

It added: “Somalia comes second to Iraq which witnesses a brutal deterioration in the security conditions for the profession, 8 journalists killed this year against one last year.” Sri Lanka followed with seven reporters becoming victims of its civil war; and five journalist were killed in Pakistan.

Violence in Afghanistan and the Philippines took the lives of four members of the press in each country.

The PEC, founded in June 2004 by a group of journalists from several countries based in Geneva, aims to strengthen the legal protection and safety of journalists in zones of conflict and civil unrest.

It has attracted support from some 35 associations in 100 countries for its fight for an international convention that would specifically protect journalists in conflict zones.—AFP