Where The Most Journalists Are Imprisoned Worldwide

Yes Ghana does not appear in the latest report of countries that jails journalist for telling the truth and doing their work. I Ghana we beat them for just doing their jobs. This attacks are carried out by state actors and non state actors including the police, political parties etc. That also has to stop, I pray that soon the Committee to Protect Journalists, an advocacy group will also publish a table of countries who attack journalist and all of us as a country will be put to shame. So lets all work to ensure that perpetuators are brought to book. My question is what has happened to the Metro TV Cameraman beaten by a police who was captured on TV?

Below is a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists, the interesting thing is that Turkey who are talking tough about the murder of  Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudi authorities are high up in the league of countries that have jailed media persons. Read details of the report below

The Committee to Protect Journalists,  has released its annual census showing the number of journalists imprisoned across the world. More than 250 journalists are behind bars for the third consecutive year and the CPJ said that an authoritarian approach to critical news coverage is more than just a temporary spike. As of December 1st, 2018, Turkey was the worst jailer with 68 journalists identified as being in prison there. China came second with 47 while Egypt was in third place with 25. 

Collectively, Turkey, China and Egypt are responsible for more than half of all jailed journalists for worldwide for the third year in a succession. CPJ said that those countries (and others such as Saudi Arabia) are experiencing a wave of repression which has resulted in a crackdown on press freedom. The vast majority of imprisoned journalists are facing anti state charges such as belonging to or aiding groups deemed by authorities as being terrorist organizations. Others are in jail on false news charges, particularly in Egypt with 19 in total. 

The issue was brought into the spotlight this week with the one-year anniversary of the detention of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar. Among a group of journalists named “Person of the Year” by Time magazine, they are serving seven-year sentences for reporting on a massacre of Rohingya by the country’s military. The issue has resulted in heightened criticism of Myanmar’s de facto civilian leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. On Wednesday, journalists, activists ans rights groups rallied in Yangon and called for the immediate release of the imprisoned journalists.

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