At least 250 journalists are imprisoned around the world.
Critical journalists around the world are paying a high price for their work; their critical perspective is costing them their freedom. According to a new report, China and Turkey have the most journalists behind bars.
A report released on Wednesday, December 11, by the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists, said that at least 250 journalists are imprisoned worldwide. Most of these journalists are in prisons in China, where at least 48 journalists are imprisoned.
After China, Turkey is in the lead. There are 47 journalists behind bars in Turkish prisons. Last year, the number was 68, making it the country with the largest prison population for journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists has stressed that many journalists are currently facing various cases in Turkey. Many of them are also being returned to prison after being released for a while. Among them is Ahmet Altan, a 69-year-old Turkish writer and journalist who was briefly released in November and then re-arrested.
Saudi Arabia and Egypt are in third place with 26 imprisoned journalists. Eritrea is in third place with 16 journalists in prison, followed by Vietnam with 12. Iran is in sixth place with 11 imprisoned journalists.
It should be noted that, according to this report, the number of journalists in prison has decreased compared to previous years. In 2016, the number of journalists imprisoned was 273 in different countries. However, the committee emphasizes that the figure of 250 journalists in prison is still very high. At the same time, this trend has not been decreasing in all countries.
The report says Chinese President Xi Jinping is exerting tight political control over the country and the number of journalists being imprisoned is steadily increasing. The report cites “a crackdown in Xinjiang province, where one million members of the Muslim minority have been sent to forced “re-education” camps,” which “has led to the arrest of dozens of journalists.” Among the journalists are some who have previously been arrested for their journalism.
Source: DW
