The murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a year when more than half of all journalists killed were targeted deliberately shows hatred towards the media in many areas of society, according to an annual report released by a press freedom group on Tuesday.

At least 63 professional journalists around the world were killed doing their jobs in 2018, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said, a 15 percent increase on last year. The number of fatalities rises to 80 when it includes media workers and citizen journalists.

"The hatred of journalists that is voiced ... by unscrupulous politicians, religious leaders and businessmen has tragic consequences on the ground, and has been reflected in this disturbing increase in violations against journalists,” said RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire.

Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government and who began writing for the Washington Post after moving to the U.S. last year, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. His death sparked global outrage. 

The Paris-based body said that the three most dangerous countries for journalists to work in were Afghanistan, Syria and Mexico, which respectively saw the death of 15, 11 and nine journalists.

The U.S. was ranked one of the deadliest countries for journalists in 2018 for the first time, as it ranked sixth just behind Yemen (fourth) and India (fifth).

In 2018, six journalists were killed in the U.S.

According to the report, there are another 348 journalists currently in prisons, while the number was 326 in 2017, and 60 are being held hostage. 

The report shows that murders, imprisonment, hostage-taking and enforced disappearances have all increased, meaning the journalists worldwide have never suffered so much violent and abusive treatment as in 2018. 

"Violence against journalists has reached unprecedented levels this year, and the situation is now critical," said Deloire. 

(With inputs from agencies)