Iraq has worst records for media impunity : CPJ

The countries with the worst records for impunity— Iraq , Sierra Leone and Somalia — have been mired in conflict. But the majority of the 13 countries on CPJ's Impunity Index are established, peacetime democracies such as Mexico , pointing to alarming failures by those elected governments to protect journalists.

"Every time a journalist is murdered and the killer is allowed to walk free it sends a terrible signal to the press and to others who would harm journalists," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon.

"The governments on this list simply must do more to demonstrate a real commitment to a free press. Lip service won't help save journalists' lives. We are calling for action: thorough investigations and vigorous prosecutions in all journalist homicides."

In releasing the Impunity Index in advance of World Press Freedom Day, May 3, CPJ is raising awareness about a disturbing pattern of impunity in these 13 countries across the globe.

Among CPJ's findings: Most countries on the Impunity Index are democratic, are not at war, and have functioning law enforcement institutions, yet journalists are regularly targeted for murder and no one is held accountable.  Journalists in South Asia are particularly vulnerable. Countries from that region make up almost half of the index. They include Sri Lanka , Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.

Even in countries in conflict, such as Iraq , the vast majority of journalist deaths are homicides, not products of crossfire.

Local reporters covering their home countries are most vulnerable. Most of the murders ranked in the Impunity Index were local journalists in their home countries.