The United States Government at the weekend said 250 journalists were jailed around the world in 2018, with Turkey, China and Egypt among the worst offenders.
The assertion came in a statement by Spokesperson of the U.S. Department of State, Ms Morgan Ortagus, to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.
Ortagus also pointed accusing fingers at Iran, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Mexico and Nicaragua for imprisonment of media workers and bloggers.
Remembering reporters killed in the line of duty, Ortagus called for an immediate end to all threats, intimidation and violence against journalists and other media professionals for their work.