The two women who now join the list work in a part of the world where it is becoming increasingly common for the government to restrict journalists, according to Halkjaer.

- Carrie Lam ended up in the hot air in connection with the major protests in 2019 and last year's new security law in Hong Kong.

The large independent newspaper there has had to shut down due to this policy.

Even Orbán

The other woman on RSF's list - Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also emerged in the same vein, Halkjaer notes.

- She has introduced a digital security team, which focuses on social media platforms and bloggers.

The law, which was introduced in 2018, has led to 70 journalists and bloggers being arrested and convicted.

There are also more countries in Southeast Asia that are inspired by how China handles journalists and bloggers, such as Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, according to Halkjaer.

"We have also added some authoritarian leaders from more or less democratic countries," he said, mentioning Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega.

New and old names

Why are you publishing the list this year after a five-year hiatus?

- It is a consequence of the pandemic and that new enemies have been added to the list.

Nearly half of the 37 people on the list are new, including Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

- But there are also seven people who have remained on the list for the past 20 years and whom we are keeping - such as Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Ali Khamenei in Iran and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

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The editors show the latest issue of Apple Daily.

Photo: TT