According to the 2018 report of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 251 journalists are kept in prisons worldwide. Turkey is ranked as the country with the highest number of imprisoned journalists for the third time in a row, with 68 journalists in Turkish prisons.
251 journalists spent another year behind the bars worldwide. According to the report prepared by CPJ for the year 2018, Turkey was ranked as the country with the highest number of journalists imprisoned, for the third time in a row.
China, Egypt and Saudi Arabia imprisoned more journalists in 2018 compared to the previous year; however Turkey is still the world leader in the number of imprisoned journalists. The 2018 global report prepared by CPJ Editor-In-Chief Elana Beiser reveals that journalists were imprisoned due to performing their profession as well as the situation of press freedom worldwide. More than half of imprisoned journalists worldwide are located in Turkey, China and Egypt.
The CPJ report states, “68 journalists in Turkey are currently in prison for professional activities.” The report further states that the number of imprisoned journalists in Turkey decreased in 2018 compared to the previous year.
The report indicated an increase of pressure in Turkey that started before the coup attempt. “Erdoğan started the oppression before the failed coup attempt in 2016, whereas he increased the oppression later and shut down more than 100 press institutions with emergency decrees. The situation is also without defense for those having connections with the profession of journalism,” the report states.
14.12.2018
euronews.com