Two women light candles at a vigil on the first anniversary of the murder of Sri Lankan journalist Lasantha Wickrematunga in Colombo, January 8, 2010. Wickrematunga was shot by gunmen on January 8, 2009, and the identity of the gunmen remains unknown. REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds

WPFR: Asia & Australasia Overview

From Murder to Self-Censorship 

For journalists working in Asia, 2009 was a difficult year marked by a broad range of attacks on press freedom and safety. The world’s largest and most populous continent saw a wide variety of press freedom violations – from brutal killings to subtly enforced self-censorship. While the situation in each country is specific, a number of regional trends can be identified.

Armed conflicts represented the greatest challenge for journalists working in South Asia, while governments in  ...