Committee to Protect Journalists Founded (1981)
CPJ was established to track journalist deaths and advocate for press freedom globally. For over four decades, it has maintained databases of journalist casualties in conflicts worldwide, from Latin American dictatorships through the Yugoslav Wars to Iraq and Syria.
Created standardized methodology for documenting journalist deaths and distinguishing targeted killings from crossfire casualties.
Became authoritative source for journalist casualty data cited by governments, international bodies, and news organizations.
CPJ has declared Gaza the deadliest conflict for journalists in its 43-year tracking history—surpassing Iraq, Syria, and all previous wars. The organization's determination that 59 deaths constitute murders (deliberate targeting) represents its strongest language ever applied to a single conflict.
