This published list shows the countries where Journalist are being held and charged as well as their media organs.
Cameroon is one of the most obvious countries on this list, with some journalists currently facing a series of charges for defamation and also regarding their reports in the conflict ravaging the English-speaking regions.
According to the CPJ, 2018 – 2019 recorded the highest number of journalist still behind bars in Cameroon – seven journalists were imprisoned in 2017, including Mancho Bibixy and Tsi Conrad.
Just one journalist has been killed during this 27 years period and that was in April 22, 2010, when Germain Cyrille Ngota Ngota of Cameroon Express was killed while on a Dangerous Assignment
World wide, 1359 media men have been killed between 1992 – 2019 and this survey does not include the number of journalists imprisoned during the 27 years but include only the ones presently behind bars.
Before the launch of the report, the CPJ highlighted the stories of some journalists currently behind bars through its free the press Instagram campaign. This is the case of Paul chouta imprisoned without judgment at the maximum security prison in Yaoundé for almost 7 months for defamation.
Genesis and objective of the CPJ
The Committee for the protection of journalists CPJ is a non-Profit Association founded in 1981, based in the United States, whose purpose is to observe abuse against the press and promote press freedom around the world .
It was created by American journalists abroad, in response to the sometimes brutal treatment of their colleagues. The Headquarters of the cpj is in New York with 22 permanent, it has correspondent for the main regions in the world.
It is funded only by contributions and donations from individuals, companies and foundations, excluding any government funding.
The CPJ is a member of the international freedom of expression exchange (Ifex), a global virtual network of NGOs that monitor violations of freedom of expression and which organizes, federates or relay joint campaigns or organized by its members, for the defence of the Journalists, writers and other people persecuted as they exercise their right to freedom of expression.