Chinese and Iranian Regimes Push Total of Jailed Journalists

A New York-based press advocacy group says there are 145 journalists in prison worldwide today—the highest number in 14 years.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, published its 2010 census on jailed journalists on Wednesday. The group says the Chinese and Iranian regimes are responsible for nearly half of the tally, each with 34 journalists in prison. Many are jailed on vague anti-government charges.

There were 24 journalists jailed in China in 2009. The CPJ says the sharp increase this year is due to the regime's imprisonment of Uighurs and Tibetan journalists covering off-limit topics, like ethnic issues and regional unrest.

The Iranian regime continues to imprison journalists after the post-election crackdown of 2009, CPJ reports. Four Journalists were jailed in the country in the last two months.

CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said, the increase in jailed journalists is a "shocking development," and countries responsible are, quote "at war with information itself."
Sources:

REPORT: Iran, China drive prison tally to 14-year high
http://cpj.org/reports/2010/12/cpj-journalist-prison-census-iran-china-highest-14-years.php

WP ARTICLE: Committee sees sharp rise in jailed journalists
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/08/AR2010120805334.html