That Sound You Hear Is A Calling

Michael Hedges December 17, 2021 - Follow on Twitter

Annotating horrific crimes is a painful calling. Malevolence is a difficult subject, particularly when shrouded and distant. We are more attentive to things we see from our windows. Only imagination fills in the blanks, like screams in the night. Something is calling.

Another damning report on threats to journalists and independent news outlets was released this week. In its annual report press freedom advocate Reporters sans Frontiers (RSF) detailed the abuses, from arbitrary incarceration to murders. RSFs conclusions mirror those of similar recent reports from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). RSF counts 488 journalists jailed in 2021, up 20% year on year.

“This increase is structural because, unfortunately, there are autocratic regimes that continue to lock up journalists arbitrarily,” noted RSF editor-in-chief Pauline Adès-Mével to EURACTIV (December 16). She also notes “increasingly violent and repeated crises that lead to repression of journalists who denounce what is happening under these unscrupulous and authoritarian regimes.” The “worst jailers” are China, Belarus and Myanmar (Burma), along with Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. Egypt dropped off the top five after releasing 21 journalists this year and rearresting others.

“The extremely high number of journalists in arbitrary detention is the work of three dictatorial regimes,” said RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire in a statement. “It is a reflection of the reinforcement of dictatorial power worldwide, an accumulation of crises, and the lack of any scruples on the part of these regimes. It may also be the result of new geopolitical power relationships in which authoritarian regimes are not being subjected to enough pressure to curb their crackdowns.” The RSF report on incarcerations counts 363 professional journalists, 103 non-professional journalists and 22 media workers.

The number of journalists and media workers killed in 2021, according to RSF, has fallen to 46, lowest in 20 years. RSF points to reductions in armed conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen for the drop-off as well as “the implementation of international and national mechanisms aimed at protecting journalists.” Dictators and authoritarian rulers, some observers have suggested, could be wary of international repercussions from bold actions like car bombings and assassinations. Drug dealers and extremist militias are less affected by public relations. The two deadliest countries are Mexico and Afghanistan. In every case, the intention is intimidation.

The RSF report includes several disturbing details. The number of women media workers incarcerated has risen to 60 from 40 year on year. As in the report generally, China has jailed the most women, 19 this year, including RSF 2021 Press Freedom Prize for Courage winner Zhang Zhan, believed to be critically ill. Belarus has jailed more women (17) than men (15). Nine of 53 media workers incarcerated in Myanmar are women.

Next Digital founder and Apple Daily publisher Jimmy Lai and Iran Farda editor-in-chief Kayvan Samimi Behbahani are believed to be the oldest incarcerated media workers. Jimmy Lai is 74 years old and serving time in Hong Kong. Kayvan Samimi Behbahani is 73 years old, imprisoned in Iran. Swedish-Eritrean journalist Dawit Isaak has spend two decades behind bars in Eritrea, mostly in isolation. RSF believes he is still alive.

This nearly-closed year was the most deadly for media workers in Europe since the 2015 murderous rampage in France. Two TV crime reporters were killed, Giorgos Karaivaz in Athens and Peter R. de Vries in Amsterdam. Authorities believe both murders were related to their work.

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