A record-high 262 journalists were imprisoned while reporting from various locations around the world this year, according to a study released Wednesday.
The Committee to Protect Journalists’ annual report states the uptick in arrests indicates the international community has failed “to address a global crisis in freedom of the press.”
Last year, 259 reporters were taken into a foreign government’s custody.
This year, more than half of the 262 people were arrested in Turkey, China, and Egypt. Turkey has jailed the most reporters in 2017 at 73 total and takes that title for the second year in a row.
“Far from isolating repressive countries for their authoritarian behavior, the United States, in particular, has cozied up to strongmen such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chinese President Xi Jinping,” the group said in a statement.
Azerbaijan held 10 reporters, while Iran and Russia each reported five journalists in custody.
Three-quarters of imprisoned journalists were jailed for the alleged violation of anti-state laws, as well as “broad and vague terror laws.”
The survey goes through Dec. 1 of each year and does not include those who were arrested or released during the year. It also does not include reporters who have been taken hostage by nonstate groups and those who have gone missing.
