Analyses and data track press freedom conditions. Paul Wood of the BBC and Oliver Holmes of Reuters describe the extraordinary challenges of covering the Syrian conflict. D. Parvaz of Al-Jazeera examines the implications of the 2013 Iranian election. And Jean-Paul Marthoz reveals the censorship imposed by religious extremists.

Middle East & North Africa

Video: CPJ Risk List

From conflict-ridden Syria to oppressive Iran, the 10 countries where press freedom suffered the most in 2012.

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Analysis

Press Braces as Iran Vote Looms
By D. Parvaz

A look ahead at the 2013 election and the implications for the Iranian press.

 

Analysis

In Syria, Danger From All Sides
By Paul Wood

As Syria endures its second winter of war, the dangers for journalists are multiplying.

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Analysis

Syria’s Citizens Become Journalists
By Oliver Holmes

In a country filled with paranoia and fear, the civil war has turned citizens into reporters.

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Analysis

Extremists Censor Story of Religion
By Jean-Paul Marthoz

Editors think twice, reporters do not dig deeply, columnists choose words carefully.

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Middle East & North Africa

Deaths by Type in 2012

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	25	Combat/Crossfire
	5	Dangerous Assignment
	3	Murder
	1	Undetermined

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Regional Data

34

Journalists Killed in 2012

126

Journalists in Exile, 2007-12

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285

Journalists Killed Since 1992

72

Imprisoned on December 1, 2012

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164

Unsolved Journalist Murders Since 1992

7

Missing as of December 31, 2012

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Bahrain

1 Journalist imprisoned on December 1. A blogger is serving a life term for his critical writing.

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Egypt

1 Journalist killed in 2012. A reporter covering an anti-constitution protest is shot by a ruling party supporter.

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Iran

45 Imprisoned in December 2012, the second highest figure in the world. فارسی »

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Iraq

93 Unsolved journalist murders, reflecting the world’s worst record of impunity.

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Israel and the
Occupied
Palestinian
Territory

2 Journalists killed in Gaza by targeted Israeli airstrikes.

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Jordan

400 News websites that must now register with the government under legislation passed in 2012.

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Lebanon

1 Killed in 2012. Syrian agents shoot a reporter covering the conflict from across the border in Lebanon.

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Libya

69 New media outlets created since the 2011 uprising ousted Muammar Qaddafi.

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Saudi Arabia

8th Most censored nation, CPJ finds. Coverage of unrest in Eastern Province is blocked.

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Sudan

27 Attacks on journalists during the height of popular unrest in June and July 2012.

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Syria

28 Killed in 2012, making Syria the world’s deadliest for the press.

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Tunisia

9 Assaults targeting journalists, most occurring during coverage of street protests.

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Yemen

13 Attacks on the press in a four-month period of heightened unrest.

Country reports in this chapter were researched and written by Dahlia El-Zein, research associate for CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa program.

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Slideshow: Year in Photos