Press Freedom Under Siege: Journalists Behind Bars

In 2025, journalist imprisonment rates fell but stayed near record highs, as per the Committee to Protect Journalists. The report highlights ongoing threats to press freedom, revealing China, Myanmar, and Israel as the leading countries incarcerating media professionals. Alarmingly, many reported mistreatment during detention.

In 2025, the global landscape for journalists remained fraught with peril. According to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the number of journalists incarcerated worldwide fell slightly, yet the figure hovered near historically high levels.

The CPJ report indicated that as of December 1, 330 journalists were imprisoned, down from 384 the previous year. China led with 50 incarcerated journalists, trailed by Myanmar with 30, and Israel with 29, all of whom were Palestinian.

Despite strong denunciation from CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg citing efforts to suppress dissent, embassies of implicated countries did not comment. Data revealed that journalist fatalities reached 127, underscoring the ongoing risks faced by media workers.

(With inputs from agencies.)