今年世界で投獄されたジャーナリスト、２５０人超　中国が最多

【ワシントンＡＦＰ＝時事】国際NPO「ジャーナリスト保護委員会（CPJ）」は11日、今年世界各地で投獄されたジャーナリストの数が250人を超えたと報告した。世界各地では権威主義的な政権による独立メディアへの弾圧が増えており、中でも中国での投獄数が最も多かった。（写真は資料写真）
　米ニューヨークを拠点とする同委員会によると、投獄されたジャーナリストの多くが「国家反逆」罪や「フェイクニュース」を発信した罪に問われているという。ジャーナリストを投獄している国として、トルコやサウジアラビア、エジプト、エリトリア、ベトナム、イランなどを挙げた。
　１位は習近平国家主席がメディア統制を強化している中国で、昨年から１人増えて少なくとも４８人のジャーナリストが投獄され、過去３年で最多となった。
　２位は昨年６８人が投獄されたトルコで、今年は４７人が投獄された。投獄数は減少しているが、これは改善傾向ではなく「レジェプ・タイップ・エルドアン政権による独立メディアや批判勢力の一掃が奏功したことを反映しているだけ」だと報告は指摘した。
　ＣＰＪによると、トルコ政府は１００超の報道機関を閉鎖し、スタッフの多くをテロ関連の罪で起訴している他、多くの記者を失業に追い込んだり脅迫したりしているという。
　サウジアラビアとエジプトでの投獄数はともに２６人で、中国とトルコに次いで３位となった。中東諸国では独裁政治や不安定な社会情勢、抗議活動などにより、投獄されるジャーナリストの数が増加している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2019/12/12-08:47）

At least 250 journalists are jailed around the world, with the largest number held in China, amid a growing crackdown by authoritarian regimes on independent media, a press watchdog group said Wednesday.
Many of those imprisoned face anti-state charges or are accused of producing false news, according to the report by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists which also cited Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Eritrea, Vietnam, and Iran for their jailing of journalists.
The press freedom watchdog said it counted at least 48 journalists jailed in China, one more than in 2018, as President Xi Jinping ramps up efforts to control the media.
That put China ahead of Turkey, which has 47 imprisoned journalists -- and the largest number over the previous three years.
The report said the situation in Turkey, which had 68 journalists jailed last year, is not really an improvement but reflects the successful efforts by the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stamp out independent reporting and criticism.
The CPJ said the Turkish government has shut down more than 100 news outlets and lodged terror-related charges against many of their staff, putting many reporters out of work and intimidating others.
Dozens of journalists not currently jailed in Turkey are still facing trial or appeal and could yet be sentenced to prison, while others have been sentenced in absentia and face arrest if they return to the country, the committee said.
The report said authoritarianism, instability and protests in the Middle East led to a rise in the number of journalists locked up in the region, with Saudi Arabia on a par with Egypt as the third worst jailer worldwide, each with 26 imprisoned.
In Saudi Arabia, no charges have been disclosed against 18 of the journalists behind bars, and CPJ expressed concern over reports of beating, burning and starving political prisoners, including four journalists.
Several of the arrests in Egypt came ahead of protests against corruption in September, which included calls for President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to resign.
Campaigners say the global total of 250 remains disturbingly high even if it is slightly below the 255 counted in 2018 and the record 273 in 2016.
CPJ believes that journalists should not be imprisoned for doing their jobs, the group said in its report.
It cited the case of Chinese freelance journalist Sophia Huang Xueqin, arrested in October after writing about marching with pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
It also highlighted the case Egyptian economics reporter Mohammad Mosaed, detained after tweeting during an internet shutdown intended to suppress news of protests against high fuel prices.
Globally, the number charged with 'false news' rose to 30 compared with 28 last year. This charge is used most frequently in Egypt but has also been leveled against journalists in Russia and Singapore.