Some journalists end up in prison after investigating coral.

“The largest number of inmates in the world shows about the risks currently existing for press freedom, says Katja Gloger, head of the organisation's German section, “Reporters without borders”. Many governments have reacted to protests, difficult situations or crises like COVID-19, with reactions to those that bring bad news”, she says in view of the organisation's annual report.

Part one of it deals with prisoners, kidnapped and missing. 387 media employees are currently in prison. Part two of the report will be published shortly before New Year's. It's about killed journalists. After each case lies in hiding the fate of a man who is threatened by court processes, imprisonment and mistreatment because he is not subject to censorship and pressure,” expresses concern for the organisation's chief, Gloger.

Critical corona Reports With Major Effects

Her colleague, Sylvie Ahrens-Urbaek, numbers concrete cases from Africa. Renowned investigative journalist Hopewell Chinão from Zimbabwe did research on the government's sale of super expensive medical drugs to treat COVID-19. „He was brutally removed from the house and arrested”. He was held in prison a month and a half, parole was refused several times, DW reports.

Rwandan journalist Diedoné is still in prison Niyosennga. He is the director of online television “Beste” and is accused of failing to comply with the country's rules of the coronary. According to information from „Free Borders”, he was arrested in April. He had reported on the effects state regulations have on public life, says the expert on Africa, Africa-Urbaek. In the eyes of Rwanda's government, explosives have probably been the reports of Niyosennga, that soldiers have committed rape during hours of ban.

The largest number of arrested journalists is in China

Cases from Rwanda or Mozambique confirm „Reporters without borders” for the existence of a global trend. Although Africa is later affected by the consequences of pandemic than Asia and Europe: „We see that attacks on freedom of the press have increased there, with an increase in the number of coronary infections,” says Ahrens-Urbanek. When the coronary virus began to spread increasingly, between March 15th and May 15th, the number of journalists who ended up in prison tripled a year ago. In all, by the end of November 40 men and women have been arrested, „with security due to pandemic reporting. ”

Egypt is the African country with the largest number of journalists imprisoned, 30 of them. China remains at the top of the list, with 117 arrests. The total number for all countries on December 1st of this year has been 387, with two less than the record 2019, the third year in a row of increased number of prisoners. More and more women end up behind bars because of their journalistic work. Currently, 42 media women are in prison -- 35 per cent more than a year ago. In Iran and Belarus, however, there are four media women in prison.

Europe's most famous prisoner: Julian Assange

Many unfathomable „” has been bringing the government of Belarus against any kind of reporting. Since the August 9th elections, the „Borderless Reporters have recorded 370 arrests of journalists reporting for continuing protests against President Alexander Lukashenko's controversial re-election. In most cases the consequences have been arrests for a while. But already, the initial criminal processes against media employees, which according to the report, could end up with “long-term detention”.

The most prominent prisoner in Europe is Julian Assange. Wikipedia founder is hosting the British maximum security prison Belmarsh, the US extradition decision, a process that has been highly criticised. The decision will be issued in early January. In the current report of „The risks of infection and the effects of isolation -- “ -- pose a risk to life in view of Assangges' serious mental and physical health. ”

54 Journalists Kidnapped and Missing

“Reporters without borders” are very concerned about kidnapped and missing journalists. In Africa, where no journalist disappeared in 2019, two journalists disappeared this year, according to Sylvie Ahrens-Urbanek's data. Until December 1st, there has been no record of missing journalists in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo, that “somebody kidnapped them, whether they are alive or not”. Unclear is the fate of a reporter in Peru and a reporter in Iraq.

In the hands of the kidnappers are currently 54 journalists from three countries where there is civil war: Siri, Iraq, Yemen. “Reporters without border” engage at different levels for the release of prisoners, kidnapped and missing. In the case of Iraqi blogger Ruholah Sam, hopes of having a good ending have disappeared. He was executed on Saturday.