PEN Norway is deeply alarmed by the findings of the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) 2024 prison census, which reveals a record year for the incarceration of journalists.
The global press freedom group, CPJ identifies China, Israel, and Myanmar as the world’s leading jailers of journalists in its 2024 prison census, with at least 361 media professionals imprisoned globally as of December 1, 2024—the second-highest number ever recorded by CPJ.
Graphic by CPJ
China World’s Worst Jailer of Journalists
China continues to lead with 50 journalists imprisoned, maintaining its reputation as a major suppressor of press freedom.
Israel Second-Worst Jailer of Journalists Amid Gaza War
Israel, a multiparty parliamentary democracy that had seldom featured in the CPJ’s annual prison census, surged to second place in 2023 amid efforts to suppress reporting on the occupied Palestinian territories during the Gaza war.
“Israel emerging as the second-highest jailer, with 43 journalists detained, is quite alarming and represents an unprecedented rise,” said PEN Norway in a statement.
The CPJ report shows that Myanmar follows with 35 imprisoned journalists, as its military-led government tightens its control over dissenting voices and journalists. Belarus and Russia round out the top five, reflecting a broader authoritarian crackdown on press freedoms worldwide.
PEN Norway strongly condemns this systematic attack, deeming it a direct assault on press freedom and democracy.
“CPJ’s findings highlight a growing global trend where authoritarian regimes criminalize independent journalism and reporting to silence dissent, control narratives, and stifle public discourse,” said PEN Norway in its statement.
PEN Norway calls upon the international community to respond urgently by holding these governments accountable, demanding the immediate release of all detained journalists.
“Global leaders must recognize that safeguarding press freedom is fundamental to protecting human rights and democratic values,” the PEN statement concluded.
