The International Press Institute (IPI) said in its annual review on Thursday that the high death toll for journalists continued in 2005 with 65 killed, according to DPA. Iraq, where 23 journalists died, remained the world's most dangerous country for the media. Journalists also died in 21 other countries. There were four journalists killed in eastern Europe, but western Europe's most significant event was the 7 July London bombings. In Asia, where 20 journalists were killed. Nine journalists were murdered in the Philippines last year, making it the world's most hazardous country outside of a conflict zone. With 26 journalists killed, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) was the most uniformly restricted region in the world. Four journalists were killed in Africa in 2005. In the Americas, where 11 journalists died, there was progress with the removal of some desacato ("insult") laws in Chile, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama, and a reduction in violent attacks on Venezuelan journalists.
