"Global Expression Report", 02 Dec 2019

The Global Expression Report summarises major developments in freedom of expression around the world. Based on...data from 161 countries covering 2018, and a backward glance from 2019 the... report... details the factors that contribute to the health (or otherwise) of freedom of expression globally...Too many countries are encouraging a downward trend in the rights of their own people. The data translates into a bald fact, that three of every four people on the planet are experiencing a deteriorating environment for freedom of expression.  We extrapolate from these figures that 5.5 billion people are living in countries where a vitally important human right is being increasingly restricted. Statistics are often hard to digest, but they need to remind ourselves: In 2018, 99 journalists were killed – 21 more than in 2017. Global impunity rates for these crimes continue to soar, at over 95%.  At the end of 2018, more than 250 journalists were in prison – also up from the year before. 321 human rights defenders were also killed – up nine from 2017. We see worldwide the two inter-linked freedoms, of expression and access to information, are subject to a range of sustained globalised forces.  We see that tactics aimed at suppression are multiform, and while old strategies remain effective (such as silencing of journalists), new tactics are added to the armoury every year...