According to Reporters Without Borders, there are currently 488 media journalists imprisoned throughout the world, the greatest number since the NGO began counting over 25 years ago.
By contrast, the number killed this year — 46 — was the lowest since it began issuing annual tallies, due to the relative stabilization of conflicts in the Middle East.
“The number of journalists detained in connection with their work has never been this high since RSF began publishing its annual round-up in 1995,” the NGO, which battles for freedom of the press, said in a statement.
The number has increased by 20% in the last year, owing mostly to media crackdowns in Myanmar, Belarus, and Hong Kong.
RSF also stated that it had never seen so many female journalists detained, with the total number of 60 being a third higher than the year 2020.
With 127 imprisoned journalists, China tops the pack, due in part to the national security measure it imposed on Hong Kong, which curtailed many of the city’s long-standing democratic freedoms.
