Sri Lanka tops countries ‘driving journalists into exile’
PESHAWAR: Around 39 journalists went into exile in 2008 and most of them are from Sri Lanka, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a media watchdog has reported.
“At least 11 Sri Lankan journalists were driven into exile amid an intensive government crackdown on critical reporters and editors,” the New York-based CPJ said in a survey.
The journalists fled their countries after being attacked, harassed, or threatened with violence or imprisonment, the report said.
It said 400 journalists had been forced into exile since 2001, of which 330 have not yet returned to their countries.
Along with Sri Lanka, Iraq and Somalia also rank high in numbers of journalists forced into exile.
At least two journalists each from Pakistan and Russia were forced into exile in 2008. All five countries are “among the deadliest” for journalists and among “the worst” in solving crimes against the press, according to the CPJ report.
Source: Daily Times
Date:6/19/2009
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