Dec 10, 2021: According to the report titled ‘Prison Census’ published by New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 293 journalists were jailed worldwide in 2021, a new record compared to a revised total of 280 in 2020.

The CPJ census also notes that at least 24 were reported as “murdered,” while 18 others died in “circumstances too murky to determine whether they were specific targets”.

Of this tally, India has jailed seven journalists in the past year, while five journalists were reported killed because of their work. A key finding in the report states that “India has the highest number of journalists – four – confirmed to have been murdered in retaliation for their work. A fifth was killed while covering a protest.”

“Seven Indian media persons were behind bars as a result of their reporting as of December 1,” it added.

It is to be noted that according to the report, the census “accounts only for journalists in government custody and does not include those who have disappeared or are held captive by non-State actors”. It also does not include the many journalists imprisoned and released throughout the year.

The CPJ report also observes that the reasons for the increased incarcerations all reflect a stark trend: a growing intolerance of independent reporting. Emboldened autocrats are increasingly ignoring due process and flouting international norms to keep themselves in pow

As per the report, China remains the world’s worst jailer of journalists for the third year in a row (50 journalists), with Myanmar soaring to the second slot (26 media workers) after its recent military coup this year. Egypt (25), Vietnam (23), and Belarus (19), respectively, came at the next three slots.

Egypt came in behind Myanmar as the world’s third-worst jailer of journalists, with 25 in custody for 2021. Although a decrease from last year, the ongoing detentions are emblematic of the Abdel Fattah el-Sisi government’s often blatant disregard of its country’s own laws.

The CPJ report finds that the number of journalists jailed around the world set another record in 2021. Invoking new tech and security laws, repressive regimes from Asia to Europe to Africa cracked down harshly on the independent press, stated the report.

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