Turkey and Syria Top Worst of Year Lists, Again

In 2013, Turkey and Syria defended their titles as worst jailer of journalists and most dangerous place for journalists, respectively. Forty journalists were jailed in Turkey in 2013, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a year in which 211 reporters were sitting behind bars. It was the second worst year on record after 2012, during which 232 journalists were in lock-up. (The CPJ study does not account for journalists who were both arrested and released during the year.) Following closely behind Turkey in 2013 were Iran, with 35, and China, with 32. 

"Jailing journalists for their work is the hallmark of an intolerant, repressive society," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "It is disturbing to see the number of jailed journalists rise in countries like Vietnam and Egypt. But it is frankly shocking that Turkey would be the world's worst jailer of journalists for the second year in a row."

Just over half of all jailed media members worldwide, or 106 people, are online journalists, the most represented medium, followed by print journalists at 79. Freelancers, whose challenges finding financial and emotional support or training has recently become the focus of industry attention, represented one-third of the total number. The most common charge cited in the report is referred to as “anti-state.” 

In Syria, 12 journalists were in jail, down from 15 in 2012, though the figure doesn’t account for missing journalists, many of whom are suspected of being held by armed militant groups. Click here for a full breakdown. 

In one of the other major measurements of oppression around the world—the number of journalists and media workers killed—the total number for 2013 dropped by 17 percent to 126, according to a study by the International News Safety Institute. For the second year in a row, Syria led the way with 19. Though Syria’s death toll was down from 28 in 2012, the drop does not account for the many abductions of both foreign and local news media increased, at least 38 of whom are believed to be missing. As noted by the INSI report, kidnappings served as “a deterrent that meant many international news organisations are now not sending their teams to cover the conflict."