The global press freedom crisis deepens as China leads the world’s jailers, with 330 journalists imprisoned worldwide in 2025.
The global press freedom crisis remained severe in 2025, with China holding 50 journalists and ranking as the world’s worst jailer for a third consecutive year.
The Committee to Protect Journalists recorded 330 journalists imprisoned worldwide as of December 1, 2025. The figure marked the fifth straight year with more than 300 reporters behind bars.
CPJ said rising authoritarianism and armed conflicts continue to restrict independent journalism. Myanmar ranked second with 30 jailed journalists, while Israel followed with 29.
Get
Breaking News
First
on WhatsApp
Follow The Morning Telegraph for instant alerts, top stories and exclusive updates delivered straight to your phone.
Global Press Freedom Crisis Exposes Prison Abuse
The report also raised serious concerns about harsh and potentially life-threatening prison conditions.
Nearly one-third of the journalists’ profiles included reports of mistreatment. About 20% contained allegations of torture or physical beatings.
Due process also remained dangerously weak. Nearly half of all imprisoned journalists had never received a sentence. Among those held without sentencing, 26% had spent at least five years in custody.
Meanwhile, 61% of jailed journalists faced anti-state accusations. These included terrorism, extremism and other charges used to criminalise routine reporting.
Jailing Journalists Fuels Democratic Decline
CPJ warned that imprisoning journalists does more than silence individual reporters. It also weakens accountability and accelerates democratic decline.
When authorities remove independent watchdogs, corruption can continue without scrutiny. Abuses of power can also spread while citizens lose access to reliable information about government actions and conflict.
The organisation continues to call on governments to uphold the rule of law and stop criminalising factual journalism.
The census shows that imprisonment remains a central weapon against press freedom. Despite international pressure, hundreds of reporters still face long detention, mistreatment and severe charges for doing their work.
CPJ provides the dataset, country figures and testimonies from imprisoned and released journalists on its official website.
