2020 saw a record high in journalist arrests globally, with 274 being imprisoned in relation to their work. This includes print media journalists, photojournalists, radio, television, and digital media journalists.
In its annual global survey, the Committee to Protect Journalists found that 67 percent of journalists in jail have been charged with anti-state crimes such as terrorism or membership in banned groups, 12 percent have charges of spreading false news while no charges have been disclosed in 19 percent of the cases.
Nearly all journalists jailed worldwide, the report says, were locals covering events such as COVID-19 crisis or political instability. At least two journalists were also found to have died in custody after contracting coronavirus.
China, Turkey, Egypt Amongst Worst Jailers
Amongst the worst jailers, China has grabbed the top rank for two years in a row with 47 arrests, most of whom are serving long sentences without their charges being disclosed.
A lot of the journalists were arrested over their coverage on the impact of coronavirus that countered Beijing’s version.
Turkey ranks second with all the 37 arrested journalists facing anti-state charges. Although this is half the number from 2016, a suspension of judicial proceedings for three months has prolonged prison time for the arrested.
With 27 imprisonments, Egypt seems to have intensified arrests and detentions, the CJP report notes.
However, this report doesn’t account for those journalists who have been imprisoned and released throughout the year. The data includes those incarcerated on 1 December 2020.
Although the report shows only four arrests of journalists in India, the actual number of press freedom violations is much higher.
Four Indian journalists in the report includes, Kashmiri journalist Aasif Sultan who has been imprisoned since August 2018, over allegations of “harboring militants”, Sidhique Kappan booked under UAPA while on his way to cover the Hathras Gangrape case in October 2020, Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde, who have been arrested over Bhima Koregaon.
However, according to a Newslaundry report from 7 May 2020, at least 24 mediapersons have been impeded from doing their work since the beginning of the pandemic. This includes slapping charges, police interrogation, notices, detention, FIR, arrest, and even assault.
Uttar Pradesh alone has booked eight journalists – highest among all Indian states.
Most of the journalists, the report says, were booked under the Section 188 of the IPC which criminalises disobeying a public servant’s order, and Section 505 (1)(b), which punishes causing fear and alarm to the public “whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state.”
At least two other Kashmiri journalists – Mashrat Zahra and Peerzada Ashiq – were arrested under the dreaded UAPA charges as well.
Likewise, within the United States, no journalists were jailed at the time of CPJ’s prison census, but according to the US Press Freedom tracker, an unprecedented 110 journalists were arrested or criminally charged in 2020 and around 300 were assaulted, due to the polarised climate.
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