According to the report, Israel is the 6th worst jailer in the world for journalists in 2023 with 17 journalists behind bars. All of them were jailed after the October 7 attack.
China tops the list followed by Myanmar, Belarus, Russia, and Vietnam. Both Iran and Israel are ranked sixth. There are 17, 17 journalists in jail in these two countries.
The Committee to Protect Journalists wrote while sharing a post from its X/Twitter account
According to the organization, there are currently 320 journalists in prisons around the world.
44 in China, 43 in Myanmar, 28 in Belarus, 22 in Russia, and 19 in prisons in Vietnam. Due to this, these countries are the top 5 countries on this list.
Another statement released by the organization’s social media account read:
“During any conflict, journalists are civilians under international humanitarian law.
Facilities and equipment utilized for reporting and disseminating news are also civilian structures.
They must be respected and protected.”
CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg says the message is clear. Journalists hold the powerful accountable, and those in power often find it incredibly dangerous.
She said the data showed how authoritarian regimes abuse the law “to detain and silence journalists”. It’s exactly what it’s intended to be. Its purpose is to silence critical voices.
The name of Israel appears on this list of CPJ for the first time. In this regard, the organization says:”Amidst a months-long war, Israel emerged for the first time as one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists, with 17 recorded behind bars as of December 1, 2023, according to our annual prison census.”
Meanwhile, according to CPJ, more than 80 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 7.
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