Reporters Without Borders says a total of 66 journalists lost their lives in connection to their work so far this year, warning about the rise of what it calls “barbaric” attacks on correspondents.
In a report on Tuesday, the organization said that at least 119 reporters were also kidnapped during the same period, showing a 37-percent increase from last year.
It added that violent attacks on journalists are on the rise due to conflicts in Ukraine, Libya and the Middle East.
"The Reporters Without Borders round-up for 2014 highlights an evolution in the nature of violence against journalists and the way certain kinds, including carefully-staged threats and beheadings, are being used for very clear purposes," it said.