Journalism, civil liberties and the war on terrorism

The war on terrorism is fought in a pervasive atmosphere of paranoia in which the spirit of press freedom and pluralism is fragile and vulnerable. This is "war" of a very different kind, fought in the shadows as well as the battlefield, and, inevitably, it is a conflict in which press freedom and pluralism have suffered. It has also led to casualties among journalists and media staff. With 129 killed, 2004 was the worst year on record for journalists and media staff. The war in Iraq is a continuing tragedy in which journalists and media staff are prominent among the victims. Up until March 2005 some 73 media staff had perished since the invasion began two years earlier.