Turkey Has the Most Jailed Journalists Worldwide

The number of imprisoned journalists reached a record high at the end of 2012, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The organization identified 232 imprisoned individuals across the world – the previous record was 185 in 1996.

Turkey was the worst jailer, holding 49 journalists behind bars. This can be attributed to broad anti-terror and penal code statutes that resulted in the imprisonment of vast numbers of Kurdish reporters.

Tayip Temel is one notable member of the press languishing in a Turkish jail. He was the editor-in-chief of Azadiya Welat, the only Kurdish language daily newspaper and faces 20 years behind bars on charges of being a member of a banned Kurdish organization.

Elsewhere, Iran has the second highest number of jailed journalists worldwide with 45. China rounds off the top three. As of December 2012, the Committee to Protect Journalists identified 32 members of the press being held in Chinese jails.