拘束下にある記者、過去最多４８８人　香港やミャンマー影響

【パリＡＦＰ＝時事】国際ジャーナリスト組織「国境なき記者団（ＲＳＦ）」は１６日、世界各地で現在拘束されている報道関係者は４８８人に上り、１９９５年の集計開始以降で最多を記録したとする年次報告書を発表した。（写真はトルコのイスタンブールで、ＡＦＰカメラマンの拘束に抗議してつり下げられたカメラ）
　対照的に、今年これまでに死亡した記者は４６人で、最少となった。中東情勢が比較的安定していたことが背景にある。
　ＲＳＦによると、拘束されている報道関係者の人数は前年比で約２０％増加した。ミャンマー、ベラルーシ、香港でのメディア弾圧が大きな理由だとしている。また、拘束下にある女性記者は過去最多の６０人で、前年比約３０％増だった。
　拘束されている報道関係者の人数が最も多いのは中国（１２７人）で、香港に導入された国家安全維持法（国安法）によってさまざまな民主主義的自由が損なわれた影響が大きい。次いで、ミャンマー（５３人）、ベトナム（４３人）、ベラルーシ（３２人）、サウジアラビア（３１人）となっている。
　死者数は２０１６年をピークに減少しているが、これはシリア、イラク、イエメンの情勢が変わり、現地に赴くジャーナリストが減ったことを反映している。
　今年死亡した４６人の多くは、暗殺の被害者だった。報告書は「６５％は意図的に標的とされて消された」としている。
　他方で、人質に取られている記者や報道関係者らは世界で６５人に上っているとした。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/12/17-14:32）

There are currently 488 media professionals imprisoned around the world, the highest number since Reporters Without Borders began counting more than 25 years ago, the NGO announced Thursday.
By contrast, the number killed this year -- 46 -- was the lowest since it began issuing annual tallies, due to the relative stabilisation of conflicts in the Middle East.
The number of journalists detained in connection with their work has never been this high since RSF began publishing its annual round-up in 1995, the NGO, which battles for freedom of the press, said in a statement.
The number has risen by some 20 percent over the past year thanks largely to crackdowns on the media in Myanmar, Belarus and Hong Kong.
RSF said it had also never seen so many female journalists detained, with the overall number of 60 representing a third more than 2020.
China once again has the highest number of imprisoned journalists at 127, said RSF, which has routinely lambasted Beijing over what it describes as an unprecedented crackdown on press freedoms.
In Hong Kong, there has also been an uptick in arrests as Beijing's national security law has taken hold. In this special administrative region, which used to be a regional model of respect for press freedom, and which had no imprisoned journalists, the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 has been used as a pretext for arresting and detaining at least 10 journalists as of 1 December, RSF said.
- 'People's tribunal' -
Myanmar was second with 53, followed by Vietnam (43), Belarus (32) and Saudi Arabia (31).
The falling number of deaths since a peak in 2016 reflects changing dynamics in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, where a reduction in conflict means fewer journalists have been drawn to the region.
Most of the 46 killings were assassinations: 65 percent were deliberately targeted and eliminated, the report said.
The most dangerous countries were once again Mexico and Afghanistan, with seven and six journalist deaths respectively, followed by Yemen and India with four apiece.
RSF also counted 65 journalists and colleagues held as hostages around the world.
All are in the Middle East -- Syria (44), Iraq (11) and Yemen (9) -- apart from French journalist Olivier Dubois, held in Mali since April.
A people's tribunal to achieve justice for murdered journalists opened in The Hague last month to defend media freedoms in an age of increasing authoritarianism and populism.
Set up by a coalition of press freedom organisations, the hearings lasting six months will focus on the unsolved cases of three journalists murdered in Mexico, Sri Lanka and Syria.
While it has no legal powers to convict anyone, the tribunal aims to raise awareness, pressure governments and gather evidence through what it calls its form of grassroots justice.
The tribunal was organised by Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and Reporters Without Borders.