This archive report was first published on 10 September 2019.
Published on September 10, 2019, a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has identified the world's worst countries for press censorship. Eritrea takes the top spot, followed closely by North Korea and Turkmenistan.
The CPJ report highlights extreme measures used by these countries to silence independent journalism. In Eritrea, the state maintains a legal monopoly on broadcast media, restricting journalists' access to alternative sources of information, such as the internet or satellite broadcasts.
North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, has stepped up the use of radio signal blockers and advanced radio detection equipment to prevent people from sharing information. The CPJ also notes that Saudi Arabia's already-repressive environment for the press has 'suffered sharp deterioration' under de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
China has the most sophisticated censorship apparatus, according to the CPJ. Chinese internet users are blocked by the 'Great Firewall,' and authorities monitor domestic social media networks and conduct surveillance of international journalists.
The rankings were based on factors including restrictions on privately owned or independent media, criminal defamation laws, and targeted hacking or trolling. The CPJ executive director, Joel Simon, noted that 'the internet was supposed to make censorship obsolete, but that hasn't happened.'
