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A major special report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reveals that despite slight reductions in some places, the number of journalists imprisoned worldwide in connection with their work remained at alarmingly high levels in 2025, and many of those imprisoned endured cruel, life-threatening conditions that further imperil press freedom. The findings highlight enduring threats to journalists globally and significant challenges for media independence and human rights.
According to CPJ’s 2025 annual prison census, 330 journalists were incarcerated as of December 1, 2025, marking the fifth consecutive year that more than 300 media professionals remained behind bars for their reporting. Although this figure represents a modest decrease from a record high in 2024, it still situates journalist imprisonment at historically elevated levels.
The report underscores that many jailed journalists face prolonged and arbitrary detention: more than one-third are serving sentences exceeding five years, and nearly half had not yet been formally sentenced by the end of 2025. Among those awaiting adjudication, about 26 percent have spent more than five years in detention without a verdict, reflecting systemic delays and procedural injustices in many jurisdictions.
CPJ also documented widespread reports of mistreatment and harsh conditions inside prisons holding journalists. Roughly one-third of detained journalists reported abuses, including torture, beatings, and other forms of physical violence, with some describing cells and detention facilities as dangerously unsanitary, overcrowded, or lacking adequate medical care. These conditions are described by some former detainees as tantamount to a “cemetery of the living,” emphasising the physical and psychological toll of incarceration.
The geographic distribution of imprisoned journalists remains a concern. According to the report, countries such as China, Myanmar, and Israel were among the leading jailers of journalists in 2025, with each detaining significant numbers in connection with coverage of political dissent, civil unrest, or national security stories. Many of those detained are charged under broad anti-state, counter-terrorism, or “false news” statutes that press freedom advocates say criminalise legitimate reporting and dissent.
CPJ’s analysis also situates this sustained high level of imprisonment within broader global pressures on press freedom, including rising authoritarianism, prolonged armed conflicts, and the misuse of legal systems to silence independent voices. The report stresses that incarceration of journalists — and the harsh conditions under which they are held — not only harms individual reporters but also erodes public access to reliable information and undermines democratic accountability worldwide.
In response, CPJ has called on governments to repeal or reform laws used to criminalise journalistic work, ensure fair and transparent legal processes for accused journalists, and protect detainees from torture and inhumane treatment. Such reforms, rights advocates argue, are essential to safeguard press freedom and uphold international human rights standards.
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2025 journalist jailings remain stubbornly high; harsh prison conditions pervasive