Journalist logo.
Israel has emerged as one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists following the October 7 start of the Israel-Gaza war, CPJ’s 2023 prison census has found. Israel ranked sixth—tied with Iran—behind China, Myanmar, Belarus, Russia, and Vietnam, respectively.
Overall, CPJ documented 320 journalists behind bars for their work as of the census date December 1, 2023, down from more than 360 in 2022. The number was the second-highest recorded by CPJ since the census began in 1992—a disturbing barometer of entrenched authoritarianism and the vitriol of governments determined to smother independent voices.
Those jailed often face gratuitously cruel conditions. Due process is frequently subverted as authorities prolong pre-charge and pre-trial detention of journalists, and journalists’ lawyers themselves face retaliation around the world.
Prolonged pretrial detentions and cruel treatment are common, while some governments, such as Russia and Ethiopia, have even persecuted journalists across borders. In Vietnam, Egypt, and other countries, even after their release, journalists continue to face travel bans, other movement restrictions, and measures that effectively curtail their freedom.
Jailed journalists by the numbers:
💥 More than 65%—209 journalists—listed in the census face anti-state charges such as false news and terrorism in retaliation for their critical coverage.
💥 More than 60 journalists around the world were being held without having any charge disclosed—and almost all jailed journalists in Israel were held without a charge.
💥 Globally, at least 57 journalists imprisoned around the world are serving sentences of over 10 years or life in prison in retaliation for their work—this is nearly 20% of all jailed journalists.
💥 Almost 30% of jailed journalists have health problems—and many lack access to medications or doctors. – Commiteee to Protect Journalists