The Press under the pressure

December 11, 2012 it was published a report of the Committee to Protect Journalists (International Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ) according to which the number of imprisoned journalists in the world had reached record levels. According to the Committee, on December 1, 2012 the number of journalists imprisoned worldwide reached on 232 people, more than in 2011 at 53 ones.

Authorities of the countries-warders of the media widely used laws on anti-state activities, in which the most common of charges against journalists in 2012 were accused of anti-state activities, terrorism, treason and subversion. In this case, the victims of arbitrary acts were as the journalists of traditional media and also online media, reports RIA “Novosti”.

Such cases are most common in Turkey, Iran, China, Eritrea, and Syria.

A group of 10 countries the worst countries-warders of journalists follow in the end Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia. Authorities of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan used charges of drug possession and hooliganism to arrest critical journalists and editors.

According to the report, the authorities of Azerbaijan – 7 th country of the worst warder of the press – rigidly persecuted dissidents during carrying out in Baku two major international events – the “Eurovision-2012” and the Global Forum on Internet Governance. On various charges it was imprisoned in at least 9 critical journalists. CPJ believes that the charges of drug possession and extortion were fabricated to punish journalists for their professional activities.

A list of 10 countries where are imprisoned the most number of journalists, follow in the end, Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia. In each of these countries are in a jail on four journalists.

A wise man once said that with the press trifled: closing it access to oxygen – you are closing the valve on the boiler.

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