In 2024, 573 journalists spent the holidays behind bars, and according to our data, 550 of them will still be in prison at the end of the year. That's according to Reporters Without Borders.
The NGO notes with regret that these numbers have increased compared to last year, showing that the need to protect journalists around the world is more important than ever.
"Myanmar and Israel are the biggest prisons for journalists in the world. These countries have become lawless zones where record numbers of journalists are detained, disappeared or held hostage," Reporters Without Borders said.
It stresses that no journalist should be imprisoned just for doing his or her job.
Particularly serious is the situation of 77-year-old Hong Kong journalist Jimmy Lai, who has been convicted on trumped-up charges and could die in prison.
"We are also worried about the relentless prosecution of Chinese journalist Zhang Zhang for her coverage of the Kowid-19 epidemic. Moreover, last month Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora was returned to prison after being granted house arrest. At the age of 68, he has already spent 800 days in jail - in abominable conditions," Reporters Without Borders has warned. | BGNES
