Seventy-one journalists and media workers were killed in 2004, 23 of them in Iraq, Times of Oman daily reported on Wednesday.

According to a report released on Tuesday by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN), the death toll of journalists and media workers was the highest for a single year since 1994 when 73 journalists and media workers were killed.

Journalists working in Iraq continue to be targets for kidnappings and murders, with 23 killed in 2004 and 15 in 2003.

The Philippines was the second most deadly place for journalists, with 11 killed in 2004, compared with seven killed in the previous year.

While war and terrorism accounted for a large number of deaths, many reporters who investigated organized crime, drug trafficking, corruption and other crimes also fell victim to assassins, Timothy Balding, director general of the Paris-based WAN, was quoted as saying.

Around the world, hundreds of journalists have been killed in the past decade. In more than two-thirds of the cases, no one has been brought to justice, much less convicted, according to WAN.

WAN, the global organization for the newspaper industry, represents 18,000 newspapers, with membership covering 72 national newspaper associations, individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, 10 news agencies and 10 regional and world-wide press groups.