CPJ Census 2023: Asia Leads in Journalists’ Imprisonment; India Holds 7
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has reported that at the end of 2023, an estimated 320 journalists worldwide were imprisoned due to their work, marking the second-highest number since the annual census began in 1992. While down from 367 in 2022, the report highlights a concerning trend aimed at stifling independent voices globally.
Asia continues to have the highest number of journalists in jail, with China, Myanmar, and Vietnam leading the list. However, the report notes that beyond these countries, journalists were also imprisoned in India, Afghanistan, and the Philippines. In India specifically, seven journalists are held, with the government employing security laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act to suppress the media, according to CPJ.
The report emphasizes the global prevalence of authoritarianism, with governments increasingly attempting to quash critical reporting and impede public accountability. More than a third of the imprisoned journalists were in China, Myanmar, and Belarus. Notably, Israel shares the sixth position with Iran, marking its highest ranking ever on CPJ’s annual list. In Israel, all 17 journalists held at the time of the census were Palestinians arrested in the West Bank since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas on Oct 7, as per the report.
Furthermore, the CPJ census identifies Russia as a significant player, holding twelve of the 17 non-local journalists imprisoned worldwide. Among them are two U.S. citizens, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, both detained in pretrial detention. The findings underscore the challenges journalists face globally and the pressing need to safeguard press freedom.
