The number of journalists worldwide who are behind bars reached a global high in 2021, according to a new report from the nonprofit Committee to Protect Journalists, which says that 293 reporters were imprisoned as of December 1 this year.
At least 24 journalists were killed because of their coverage, and 18 others died in circumstances that make it too difficult to determine whether they were targeted because of their work, the CPJ said on Thursday in its annual survey on press freedom and attacks on the media.
While the reasons for jailing reporters varies between countries, the record number reflects political upheaval around the world and a growing intolerance of independent reporting, according to the CPJ.
"This is the sixth year in a row that CPJ has documented record numbers of journalists imprisoned around the world," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon in a statement. "The number reflects two inextricable challenges - governments are determined to control and manage information, and they are increasingly brazen in their efforts to do so."
China imprisoned 50 journalists, the most of any country, followed by Myanmar (26), which arrested reporters as part of a crackdown after its February 1 military coup, then Egypt (25), Vietnam (23) and Belarus (19), the CPJ said.
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/24667
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