New York, Dec 9: The number of journalists arrested worldwide reached 293 this year, setting a new record when compared to previous years, the US-based international non-governmental organization The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said on Thursday.
“The number of journalists behind bars reached a record high in 2021, with 293 behind bars as political upheaval and media crackdowns reflect increasing intolerance for independent reporting around the world,” CPJ said in the report published on its website.
The top three countries where journalists are most likely to face jail time are China, with 50 journalists behind bars amid preparations to host Winter Olympics in February 2022, Myanmar, with 26 journalists jailed in the wake of February 1 military coup, and Egypt, whose authorities imprisoned 25 journalists this year. The organization also notes that in addition to imprisonment, targeted killings of journalists persists with Mexico ranking among the deadliest.
“This is the sixth year in a row that CPJ has documented record numbers of journalists imprisoned around the world. 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,” CPJ Executive Director, Joel Simon said.
Despite the gloomy findings, CPJ said it continues to tackle illegal censorship practices and stressed that the organization helped free at least 100 journalists around the world this year.
