Data | Five journalists arrested in January 2021, the highest in any year since 1992

Freelance journalist Mandeep Punia was arrested on January 31 by the Delhi Police while covering the farmer agitations against the three new farm laws at the Singhu border. Barely 40 days into 2021, five journalists, including Punia, have been arrested in India. No other year since 1992 has recorded more than four journalist arrests in India, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Apart from the five arrests, an arrest warrant was issued against another scribe. FIRs, many with sedition charges, were filed against 10 other journalists. In general, the better the political rights and civil liberties in a country, the higher the press freedom. However, India is an outlier to this trend: other citizens are better off in terms of civil liberties and political rights compared to journalists.