Group: Turkey, Iran, China Lead World in Jailing Journalists
The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists reported that for the second straight year, Turkey jailed more journalists than any other country, with Iran and China close behind.
In its annual report, released on Wednesday, the watchdog group said the number of journalists killed and imprisoned fell in 2013. Nonetheless, the year was the second worst on record in terms of the number of reporters imprisoned.
The CPJ found 211 journalists were behind bars in a snapshot survey taken on December 1, down from 232 in 2012. However, the report noted that the figure does not include many journalists who were imprisoned and released throughout the year.
Journalists in Turkish jails declined to 40 from 49 the previous year. Some were freed as they awaited trial and others were released on time served after long pre-trial detentions.
The CPJ said the number of jailed journalists in Iran fell to 35 from 45. In China, 32 reporters, editors and bloggers were imprisoned, the same number as in 2012.
The other countries on the list of the top 10 worst jailers of journalists were Eritrea, Vietnam, Syria, Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Egypt and Uzbekistan.
Source: Voice of America
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