James Foley’s murder underscores dangers of journalism

President Barack Obama today said “entire world is appalled” by the “brutal murder of Jim Foley.”

The president’s statement came a day after the Islamic State militants released a video showing the beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley, who was kidnapped in Syria on Thanksgiving Day in 2012 while covering Syria’s civil war. In the YouTube video, which has since been removed, ISIS militant blamed U.S. military strikes in Iraq for Foley’s murder, according to The Huffington Post.

Foley’s death is the latest in a long line of attacks against journalists across the world. He was at least the 70th journalist killed in Syria while covering the conflict, according to a statement by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The Islamic State also threatened to kill kidnapped U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff, The New York Times reported.

Globally, 44 journalists have been killed and 178 journalists have been imprisoned this year alone, according to Reporters Without Borders. Since 1992, 1,070 journalists have been killed across the world, according to CPJ.

Most of the journalists killed covered politics, war, and corruption, according to CPJ.

A United Nations expert warned the UN Security Council late last year that it needs to pay more attention to attacks on journalists:

“Most cases of violence and threats against journalists are not investigated and those responsible are never identified, prosecuted or tried. The sense of impunity is a main cause for the recurrence of episodes of attacks against journalists around the world,” UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression Frank La Rue said.

Iraq, Philippines and Syria are the most dangerous countries in the world to practice journalism, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

@fusion