CPJ: More journalists jailed than in nearly 3 decades
NEW YORK — More journalists have been jailed this year by governments around the world than at any time in nearly three decades, primarily because of the crackdown in Turkey after a failed coup in July, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.
At least 81 journalists were imprisoned in Turkey as of Dec. 1, all facing anti-state charges, said the non-profit group that works to defend press freedoms.
“In Turkey, media freedom was already under siege in early 2016, with authorities arresting, harassing, and expelling journalists and shutting down or taking over news outlets,” said the group’s report on its annual census of imprisoned journalists.
Written by Elana Beiser, the report said a total of 259 journalists are jailed around the world, compared to 199 at the same time last year. That is the highest number since the group began keeping detailed records in 1990. The numbers do not include journalists who have disappeared or are held captive by non-state groups.