250 journalists jailed in global media blitz

Journalists under attack

Journalists under attack

from AHMED MOOLA in Cairo, Egypt
CAIRO, (CAJ News) AT LEAST 250 journalists are languishing in jails following crackdowns on media by repressive governments around the world.

In Africa, Egypt is the leading jailer of journalists, with 26 individuals behind bars.

Globally, China and Turkey top the list with 48 and 47 journalists jailed respectively.

Politics is again the newsbeat most likely to land journalists in jail, followed by coverage of human rights and corruption.

While the majority of journalists imprisoned worldwide face anti-state charges, the number charged with so-called false news increased to 30.

“The imprisonment of a single journalist is a terrible injustice that has far-reaching consequences for families, friends, and colleagues,” said Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

He said the jailing of hundreds of journalists year after year was a threat to the global information system on which the world depended.

“Repressive governments are using these cruel tactics to deprive their own societies and the entire world of essential information,” Simon said.

CPJ meanwhile raised concern at ongoing crackdowns against journalists in Ethiopia and Nigeria.

– CAJ News

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