RSF warns over 500 journalists will spend holidays in prison

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published 4 hours ago |  JP Global Monitoring Desk

Reporters Without Borders warns that more than 500 journalists will spend the year-end holidays in prison, citing China, Russia, Myanmar, and Belarus as the world’s leading jailers.

Summary

PARIS — More than 710 journalists spent time in prison worldwide this year, and over 500 will remain behind bars during the year-end holidays, according to the latest figures released by Reporters Without Borders.

In a letter issued by its president, Pierre Haski, RSF described the scale of detentions as a global crisis for press freedom, warning that hundreds of journalists have been stripped of their liberty solely for carrying out their professional duties.

Global jailers of the press

RSF identified China, Russia, Myanmar, and Belarus as the world’s largest prisons for journalists, describing them as extremely hostile environments for independent reporting. According to the organization, these countries account for record numbers of journalists detained, missing, or held hostage.

The press freedom group said it works daily to secure the immediate release of imprisoned journalists, stressing that incarceration for journalistic work violates the public’s right to independent and reliable information.

Individual cases highlight the human cost

Haski pointed to what RSF described as emblematic cases illustrating the personal toll of detentions. Among them is Christophe Gleizes, a French sports journalist jailed in Algeria for reporting on a local football team. RSF said an Algerian court upheld his seven-year sentence following an appeal decision on December 3, 2025, meaning he is preparing to spend his first Christmas in prison unless the ruling is overturned.

The letter also expressed concern for Vietnamese journalist Pham Doan Trang, who remains imprisoned under a five-year sentence, and Azerbaijani journalist Sevinj Vagifgizi, who is spending her second holiday season in detention. RSF warned that, without change, Vagifgizi could face many more years behind bars.

Call for solidarity and support

RSF emphasized that the figures represent more than statistics, describing over 500 shattered lives and families affected by continued imprisonment. Haski urged continued public support, arguing that solidarity is essential to defending journalists who risk their freedom, and sometimes their lives, to inform the public.

KEY POINTS:

• RSF says 710 journalists were imprisoned at some point this year worldwide
• More than 500 journalists are expected to remain in detention over the holidays
• China, Russia, Myanmar, and Belarus are identified as the leading jailers of journalists
• RSF highlights individual cases in Algeria, Vietnam, and Azerbaijan to illustrate the human cost
• The organization calls for global support to secure journalists’ release

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting based on a public letter and figures released by Reporters Without Borders and statements by its president, Pierre Haski

PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only