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Committee to Protect Journalists counts a total of 136 imprisoned journalists worldwide

08 December 2009 16:20 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Victoria Dementyeva â€“ APA. Freelancers now make up nearly 45 percent of all journalists jailed worldwide, a dramatic recent increase that reflects the evolution of the global news business, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. APA reports that in its annual census of imprisoned journalists, CPJ found a total of 136 reporters, editors, and photojournalists behind bars on December 1, an increase of 11 from the 2008 tally. A massive crackdown in Iran, where 23 journalists are now in jail, fueled the worldwide increase.

At least 60 freelance journalists are behind bars worldwide, nearly double the number from just three years ago. CPJ research shows the number of jailed freelancers has grown along with two trends: The Internet has enabled individual journalists to publish on their own, and some news organizations, watchful of costs, rely increasingly on freelancers rather than staffers for international coverage. Freelance journalists are especially vulnerable to imprisonment because they often do not have the legal and monetary support that news organizations can provide to staffers.

â€œThe days when journalists went off on dangerous assignments knowing they had the full institutional weight of their media organizations behind them are receding into history,â€ said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. â€œToday, journalists on the front lines are increasingly working independently. The rise of online journalism has opened the door to a new generation of reporters, but it also means they are vulnerable.â€

The number of online journalists in prison continued a decade-long rise, CPJâ€™s census found. At least 68 bloggers, Web-based reporters, and online editors are imprisoned, constituting half of all journalists now in jail. Print reporters, editors, and photographers make up the next largest professional category, with 51 cases in 2009. Television and radio journalists and documentary filmmakers constitute the rest.
At least 60 freelance journalists are behind bars worldwide, nearly double the number from just three years ago. CPJ research shows the number of jailed freelancers has grown along with two trends: The Internet has enabled individual journalists to publish on their own, and some news organizations, watchful of costs, rely increasingly on freelancers rather than staffers for international coverage. Freelance journalists are especially vulnerable to imprisonment because they often do not have the legal and monetary support that news organizations can provide to staffers.

â€œThe days when journalists went off on dangerous assignments knowing they had the full institutional weight of their media organizations behind them are receding into history,â€ said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. â€œToday, journalists on the front lines are increasingly working independently. The rise of online journalism has opened the door to a new generation of reporters, but it also means they are vulnerable.â€

Azerbaijan is jailing six reporters and editors, including investigative journalist Eynulla Fatullayev, a 2009 CPJ International Press Freedom Awardee, Ganimet Zahid, Sardar Alibeyli, Faramaz Novruzoglu, bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizadeh and the seventh Azerbaijani journalist, Novruzali Mamedov died in state custody in August after authorities denied him adequate medical care.