In 20 years 341 journalists have been killed in Russia

In 20 years 341 journalists have been killed in Russia, the Russian Journalists' Union announced on Saturday.

The list includes reporters killed in conflicts and counterterrorist operations, in peaceful times, reported missing and dead under uninvestigated circumstances.

On Dec. 15 the union marks the Day of Remembrance of Killed Journalists and on that day the families of killed colleagues meet at the Central Journalist House.

The Union believes that Dagestan has been the most dangerous place for journalists in Russia in recent times: 16 journalists have died there since 1998.

It notes that persons persecuting journalists often remain unpunished in Russia.

"Journalists are harassed, battered, threatened but the culprits remain unpunished," a press release of the union says. "Impunity is Russia's trouble; it does not let us go forward. The impunity of those who beat and kill journalists is doubly scary as journalists are the eyes and ears of society and those who want to silence them want to strip society of the possibility to see and hear."

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