9 February 2005

CPJ SURVEY IDENTIFIES WORLD'S LEADING JAILERS OF JOURNALISTS


China, Cuba, Eritrea and Burma are the world's leading jailers of journalists, according to an annual survey by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). More than seventy-five per cent of the 122 imprisoned journalists around the world live in these countries, the IFEX member says.

China leads all countries with 42 journalists behind bars as of 31 December 2004. Cuba ranks second with 23 reporters, writers and editors behind bars, while Eritrea is the leader in Africa with 17 detained journalists, many of them in secret jails. In Burma, 11 journalists were behind bars at year's end (Three have since been released).

The CPJ survey has found that at least 74 imprisoned journalists worldwide were charged under various "anti-state" laws, such as subversion, sedition, divulging state secrets or acting against the interests of the state. "The prevalence of these broad allegations illustrates the propensity of repressive governments to simply lock up journalists who write critically about public affairs," says CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper.

In at least nine cases, journalists were imprisoned under defamation, libel or "insult" laws, notes CPJ.

CPJ has begun a campaign to seek the release of two documentary filmmakers who are imprisoned in Burma. Honoured by CPJ with an International Press Freedom Award in 2004, Aung Pwint and Nyein Thit are serving eight-year terms for making independent documentaries that portray the harsh realities of life in Burma, including poverty and forced labour.

CPJ has sent 400 appeals signed by journalists and press freedom activists to the Burmese embassy in Washington, DC, calling for the release of the two men (http://www.cpj.org/news/2005/Burma01feb05na.html).

The organization has also sent letters expressing its serious concerns to each country that has imprisoned a journalist.

CPJ considers any journalist deprived of his or her liberty by a government to be imprisoned. Journalists remain on CPJ's list until the organization receives positive confirmation that they have been released. Journalists who either disappear or are abducted by non-state entities, including criminal gangs, rebels, or militant groups, are not included on the imprisoned list.

To read the annual survey, see: http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2005/imprisoned_04/imprison_release03feb05na.html



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Also from the Communiqué, 9 February 2005

NEPAL: JOURNALISTS TARGETED IN INFORMATION CLAMPDOWN 9 February 2005 PAKISTAN: TWO JOURNALISTS KILLED 9 February 2005 COLOMBIA: FEWER ATTACKS AGAINST MEDIA MASK CULTURE OF SELF CENSORSHIP 9 February 2005 INTERNATIONAL: NEPAD IGNORES PRESS FREEDOM CONCERNS, SAY IFEX MEMBERS 9 February 2005 CHINA: CHINA: RSF LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO FREE JAILED JOURNALIST 9 February 2005 INDONESIA: Radio 68H Helps Rebuild Media in Tsunami-Devastated Aceh 9 February 2005 CHINA: JAILED UIGHUR DISSIDENT WINS NORWEGIAN HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD 9 February 2005 INTERNATIONAL: KURT SCHORK AWARDS IN INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISM 9 February 2005 INTERNATIONAL: CNN MULTICHOICE AFRICAN JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS 9 February 2005

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