Written question asked by Lord Patten (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Howell of Guildford (Conservative) on Tuesday, 13 December 2011.

China and Turkey

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many journalists they estimate are imprisoned for reasons connected to journalism in (1) China, and (2) Turkey.

Answer: Reporters without Borders’s Press Freedom Barometer 2011 estimates that 30 journalists are currently imprisoned in China, while the Committee to Protect Journalists puts the figure at 27. Most of these cases involve charges such as inciting subversion of state power, inciting separatism, endangering national security or divulging state secrets. We believe that greater freedom of the media is strongly in China’s own interests. We monitor these issues closely and have raised a number of cases of concern regarding imprisoned journalists and bloggers in our regular human rights dialogue with the Chinese Government. The latest reported information is from the Turkish Journalists Association. They recently reported to the European delegation that there are currently 54 journalists imprisoned in Turkey.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 13890; 733 c232WA
Session: 2010-12
Related items: Turkey
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: China Journalism Prisoners Press freedom Turkey
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk