At this year’s end, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has just published its much awaited worldwide annual round-up of journalists killed, detained, held hostage and missing. The round-up sadly reports that a record number of 488 journalists are in prison at the end of 2021, including 60 women. The number of journalists killed in 2021 – 46 – is the lowest in 20 years, but it means that nearly one journalist a week is still being killed in connection with their work somewhere in the world.
The number of women journalists currently in prison is a third more than last year and is the highest even seen by RSF. Our thoughts are with 2021 RSF Press Freedom laureate Zhang Zhan, who is detained in China and who is critically ill, and with Pham Doan Trang in Vietnam. They will spend the end-of-year festive season in detention, far from their loved-ones.
The round-up also mentions some of the striking cases in 2021, including the longest prison sentences, which went to Ali Aboluhom in Saudi Arabi and Pham Chi Dung in Vietnam; the longest trials, those of Amadou Vamoulké in Cameroun and Ali Anouzla in Morocco; and the oldest detainees, Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong and Kayvan Samimi Behbahani in Iran.
The figures for deadly violence and abusive treatment of journalists confirm the need for us to continue our work to help those targeted. Our mission is a challenging one but we know we will keep going because we can count on your commitment and support.
