WASHINGTON: More than 200 journalists are imprisoned for their work for the third consecutive year, reflec­ting a global surge in authoritarianism, says a report released on Thursday.

In the report, the US-based Committee to Protect Jou­r­n­­alists identified China as the world’s worst jailer of journalists in 2014. The total number of journalists now in jail increased from 211 in 2013 to 220 in 2014.

The report claims that together, China and Iran are holding a third of journalists jailed globally. This year, Iranian authorities were holding 30 journalists in jail, down from 35 in 2013 and a record high of 45 in 2012.

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Vie­tnam, Syria, Egypt, Burma, Azerb­aijan, and Turkey are also among the top 10 worst jailers of jo­urn­­­alists in 2014.

CPJ also estimates that approximately 20 journalists are missing in Syria, many of whom are believed held by the militant group Islamic State.

Turkey, which was the world’s worst jailer in 2012 and 2013, released dozens of journalists this year, bringing to seven the number of journalists behind bars on the date of CPJ’s census.

Egypt more than doubled its number of journalists behind bars to at least 12, including three journalists from the international network Al-Jazeera.

Worldwide, 132 journalists, or 60 per cent, were jailed on anti-state charges such as subversion or terrorism.

Twenty per cent, or 45, of the journalists imprisoned globally were being held with no charge disclosed.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2014