China, Egypt are worst jailers of journalists worldwide

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published 9 years ago

NEW YORK - China is holding 49 journalists behind bars, the highest number ever recorded there, making it the worst jailer of journalists worldwide for the second year in a row, the Committee to Protect Journalists has found.

The number of journalists jailed in Egypt and Turkey also rose dramatically in 2015, even as the number of journalists imprisoned globally declined modestly from the record highs of the past three years. Rounding out the top 10 worst jailers of journalists in 2015 are Iran, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Vietnam.

 Globally, there were 199 journalists behind bars on December 1, 2015. CPJ's list does not include the many journalists imprisoned and released throughout the year. Detailed accounts of each journalist can be found at http://www.cpj.org/imprisoned/2015.php. For the second year since CPJ began compiling surveys of imprisoned journalists in 1990, not a single journalist in the Americas was imprisoned in relation to work on December 1.

"The majority of jailed journalists are concentrated in just a handful of countries, including Turkey and Egypt, which have both nearly doubled the number of journalists in jail in the past year," said Joel Simon, Executive Director of CPJ. "The situation highlights that those governments who seek to silence criticism and stifle investigation through the use of prison are global outliers whose abusive practices must be condemned."

Egypt was holding 23 journalists behind bars compared with 12 last year. In Turkey, the number of journalists jailed doubled to 14 over the same period; they include Iraqi journalist Mohammed Ismael Rasool, a fixer and translator for VICE.

 
Of the 199 journalists imprisoned worldwide, more than half worked online. Freelancers made up less than one third of imprisoned journalists, a percentage that has declined steadily since 2011. The most common charges used to put journalists in jail were anti-state. For example, Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian has been held in Iran for more than 500 days on charges including espionage.

 
CPJ's prison census does not include journalists who disappear or are abducted by non-state entities such as criminal gangs or militant groups. Their cases are classified as "missing" or "abducted." For example, CPJ estimates that at least 40 journalists are missing in the Middle East and North Africa, many of whom are believed held by militant groups including Islamic State. - CPJ  media release

Dive Deeper

Faisal Chaudhry’s viral one-liner on G for Gharidah steals the show

 November 05, 2025: PTI’s Faisal Chaudhry’s witty reply to Gharidah Farooqi on GTV’s “G for Gharidah” goes viral as a clip from their debate over the 27th Amendment sparks reactions online.

A digital dream falters: Nukta cuts 37 jobs in Pakistan after only one year

 November 05, 2025: Digital platform Nukta lays off 37 employees in Pakistan, including journalists and producers, highlighting the financial struggles facing new media ventures in a shrinking job market.

Talat Hussain says offensive viral clip was edited out, not aired on Samaa TV

 November 04, 2025: Talat Hussain denies airing the viral clip showing Sher Afzal Marwat’s vulgar remark, saying it was not part of his Samaa TV show.

PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007 emergency as Pakistan’s darkest day

 November 03, 2025: PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007, as Pakistan’s darkest day under Musharraf, urging protection for journalists and the abolition of laws threatening press freedom.

PFUJ calls for end to Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists

 November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.

Global impunity for journalist murders worsens as Pakistan sees 60 percent rise in attacks

 November 02, 2025: Impunity for crimes against journalists deepens worldwide as Pakistan reports a 60 percent surge in attacks and weak enforcement of safety laws.

Pakistan Press Foundation documents 137 attacks on journalists in 2025

 November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.

Anchor Talat Hussain laughs as Marwat makes vulgar comment on air

 November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.