[JURIST] The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) [official website] published a report [text] Tuesday finding Syria the most dangerous nation in the world for journalists, with Egypt and Iraq just behind. The CPJ’s report found that of the estimated 70 journalists killed worldwide [CPJ database] in 2013, 29 were in Syria. Egypt and Iraq, countries marred by considerable sectarian and political violence, saw a considerable increase in journalist deaths, displacing Pakistan and Somalia as the second and third deadliest nations for journalists. CPJ’s deputy director Robert Mahoney called on [AP report] the international community to condemn violence against journalists and work to provide stronger protections to ensure their safety.

Earlier this week Egyptian authorities detained [JURIST report] four journalists working for the Al Jazeera English news channel. The journalists have been accused [AFP report] of broadcasting illegally, spreading false information and information aimed at inciting the public, and meeting with members of the Muslim Brotherhood [party website, JURIST news archive], an Islamist group that was recently classified as a terrorist organization [JURIST report] by the Egyptian government. Last month Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] released a report [JURIST report] urging the government of Chad to release prisoners held without charges or charge them with a recognizable criminal offenses. The government is allegedly using charges such as “inciting racial hatred,” “defamation” and “endangering national security” to justify the arrests of journalists, human rights defenders, trade-unionists and students.