Committee to Protect Journalists: 'Turkey has the most jailed journalists worldwide'

Tyler Durden
Zero Hedge
Thu, 21 Dec 2017 14:06 UTC

© REUTERS/ Osman Orsal

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a record 262 journalists are being held in prisons around the world.

As Statista's Niall McCarthy notes, nearly three-quarters of them are being held on anti-state charges while at least 21 have been charged with "false news".

The worst three jailers are responsible for 51 percent of the total...

You will find more statistics at Statista

Turkey is the top jailer of journalists for the second consecutive year with 73 languishing behind bars. The Turkish press experienced a crackdown in early 2016 and this gained pace after July's failed coup attempt.

The CPJ identified 41 jailed journalists in second-placed China while Egypt rounds off the top-three with 20.

Comment: The situation isn't black and white - Turkey is going through a very tumultuous period thanks to the recent Western attempt to overthrow their government. This important factor is suspiciously absent from 'press freedom' reports. Should the press be really so free as to become a weapon in the hands of a foreign power?

Further reading:

• After being detained in Turkey, Wall Street Journal reporter Dion Nissenbaum returns to U.S.
• Turkey issues detention for 42 journalists with suspected connections to failed coup; 5000 Health Ministry employees dismissed