Journalists have been subject to more killings, and increasing levels of violence and intimidation in 2018, according to monitoring groups.

This year alone more than 30 have been murdered, including Mexican veteran journalist Carlos Domínguez Rodríguez who was stabbed to death in January, 5 journalists shot dead at their office in Annapolis in the US in June, and the story that has dominated the news, the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at his consulate in Istanbul in October. The suspects range from organised criminals to state-sponsored assassins.

And it’s not just about murder – imprisonments and intimidation are also on the rise.

Why should the public care? What’s behind the surge? And how can the press and the public fight back? We talk to those journalists and activists from across the world to find out: is this the most dangerous time to be a journalist?

Contributors include:

Pavla Holcova - Czech Centre for Investigative Journalism
Sothearin Yeang – former journalist, Radio Free Asia
Omar Faruk Osman - Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists
Jan-Albert Hootsen – Mexico representative, Committee to Protect Journalists

Presenter: Victoria Uwonkunda
Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton

UPDATE: Since we recorded this programme in November three more journalists have been murdered, including a radio presenter and reporter shot dead in Syria.

(Image: Protesters hold placards during a rally against corruption and to pay tribute to murdered journalist Jan Kuciak in Bratislava, Slovakia. Photo Credit:Joe Klamar/Getty Images)