Five attacks on journalists that made headlines in 2018

A group of journalists has been named Time magazine's person of the year, shining the spotlight on tough conditions experienced by journalists as they work to find and share the truth.

These are five incidents in 2018 that show that journalists are under attack.

Jamal Khashoggi death

According to media reports, the last words spoken by journalist Jamal Khashoggi were: "I can't breathe."

Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian contributor to The Washington Post, was murdered in his country's Istanbul consulate in October.

Reports on the existence of a transcript describing the murder and dismemberment of Khashoggi surfaced later.

The transcripts allegedly detail the journalist's struggle with his attackers and sounds of his body being cut up using a saw.

The Time honour was bestowed on Khashoggi posthumously. 

Maria Ressa arrest in the Philippines

Also included among the honoured journalists is Maria Ressa.

Ressa is a former CNN bureau chief and veteran war correspondent who wielded a pen when soldiers around her wielded guns and bazookas. 

"That is easy compared to what we're dealing with now," she said.

According to Time, the 55-year-old was arrested in the Philippines on December 3 in what is believed to be President Rodrigo Duterte's bid to muzzle critical press and silence criticism of his administration's deadly war on terror.

Authorities deny that politics were a factor in Ressa's arrest.

Reuters journalists imprisoned in Myanmar

Journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were put behind bars for violation of a state secrets act. 

The Reuters reporters were instrumental in exposing the murder of 10 Muslim men allegedly by Myanmar security forces.

Despite claims that the arrests of the two journalists was "pre-planned and staged", they were eventually convicted of breaching the Official Secrets Act.

They were sent to prison to begin their seven-year sentences in September.

Speaking after the sentence was handed down, Wa Lone said: "I have no fear. I believe in justice, democracy and freedom."

Capital Gazette newsroom shooting

A tragedy led to the recognition of a Maryland newspaper, Capital Gazette, as Time  Person of the Year.

The Guardian ran an account in June of a man walking into the Capital Gazette newsroom and opening fire.

Jarrod Ramos was arrested in connection with the attack during which five people were killed.

Ramos had allegedly sent letters to the newspaper on the fateful day to tell staff that he was going to "kill as many people as he could".

Jefferson Lopes shot dead

Though not specifically named in the magazine's honours list, the death of Jefferson Lopes in January set the tone for the dangerous year that 2018 would be for reporters.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) attributed the death of Lopes to the work he was doing. Lopes hosted a radio show that was seen to be critical of Brazilian politicians.

CPJ noted that for months before Lopes was shot and killed at his home, he had been getting death threats.

In 2017, the building which housed Beira Rio FM, where Lopes worked, was set alight. 

During one interview, the husband of the politician Lopes was interrogating on air concluded the discussion by putting a gun to Lopes' head.

Even with violence meted against their peers, journalists around the world push on with each story, each exposé, not knowing if they will live to write another headline.