China is the world’s top country jailing journalists with nearly half of the incarcerated journalists being Uyghurs.
China Leads in Jailing Journalists
A New York-based watchdog’s report revealed that China is the world’s worst jailer of journalists, with almost half of those imprisoned being Uyghur reporters who covered the oppression of the predominantly Muslim group in Xinjiang. The Committee to Protect Journalists identified 320 journalists believed to be incarcerated as of December 1, indicating a sharp increase in arrests and marking a nearly record high.
Rampant Media Repression and Indigenous Voices Silenced
Of the countries imprisoning journalists, China led with 44, followed by Myanmar with 43 and Vietnam with 19. Media repression was most severe in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, especially for Uyghur journalists targeted under vague charges as part of Beijing’s crackdown on minority voices and independent reporting. The report underscored the urgency of releasing all imprisoned journalists and permitting free reporting in Xinjiang.
