Europe, US, Israel Star in RSF's Press Freedom Index, for Better or Worse
Reporters without Borders (RSF) today issued its 2009 Press Freedom Index expressing deep concerns about the regression in several Western European countries, noticing the advance of the US and lamenting Israel's nosedive in the ranking.
RSF attributes the US advance, 16 positions, from 36th to 20th, to the "Obama effect," saying one important reason is "the fact that he has a less hawkish approach than his predecessor."
But the comments to the report wonder whether Europe, which still placed 13 of its countries on top of the list, is no longer the standard for the rest of the world, focusing on the dismal performances of Italy (49th, falling five positions), Slovakia (44th, falling 37) and France (43rd, falling eight).
Another big loser in this year's list was Israel, which fell 47 slots to 93rd overall.
Bringing up the rear we find the usual suspects —Eritrea, North Korea and Turkmenistan— in close competition with Iran, which is "at the gates of the infernal trio."
RSF indicts the Tehran regime for its brutal repression of the pro-democracy demonstrations, "which plunged the country into a major crisis and fostered regime paranoia about journalists and bloggers."
On the bright side, special mention goes to Ireland, which jumped up to the first position, sharing it with the traditional stalwarts of international press freedom, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
RSF attributes the US advance, 16 positions, from 36th to 20th, to the "Obama effect," saying one important reason is "the fact that he has a less hawkish approach than his predecessor."
But the comments to the report wonder whether Europe, which still placed 13 of its countries on top of the list, is no longer the standard for the rest of the world, focusing on the dismal performances of Italy (49th, falling five positions), Slovakia (44th, falling 37) and France (43rd, falling eight).
Europe long set an example in press freedom but several European nations have fallen significantly in this year’s index (...) In so doing, they have given way to young democracies in Africa (Mali, South Africa and Ghana) and the western hemisphere (Uruguay and Trinidad and Tobago).
Journalists are still physically threatened in Italy and Spain (44th), but also in the Balkans, especially Croatia (78th), where the owner and marketing director of the weekly Nacional were killed by a bomb on 23 October 2008.
But the main threat, a more serious one in the long term, comes from new legislation. Many laws adopted since September 2008 have compromised the work of journalists. One adopted by Slovakia (44th) has introduced the dangerous concept of an automatic right of response and has given the culture minister considerable influence over publications.
Journalists are still physically threatened in Italy and Spain (44th), but also in the Balkans, especially Croatia (78th), where the owner and marketing director of the weekly Nacional were killed by a bomb on 23 October 2008.
But the main threat, a more serious one in the long term, comes from new legislation. Many laws adopted since September 2008 have compromised the work of journalists. One adopted by Slovakia (44th) has introduced the dangerous concept of an automatic right of response and has given the culture minister considerable influence over publications.
Another big loser in this year's list was Israel, which fell 47 slots to 93rd overall.
This nose-dive means it has lost its place at the head of the Middle Eastern countries, falling behind Kuwait (60th), United Arab Emirates (86th) and Lebanon (61st).
Israel has begun to use the same methods internally as it does outside its own territory. Reporters Without Borders registered five arrests of journalists, some of them completely illegal, and three cases of imprisonment. The military censorship applied to all the media is also posing a threat to journalists.
As regards its extraterritorial actions, Israel was ranked 150th. The toll of the war was very heavy. Around 20 journalists in the Gaza Strip were injured by the Israeli military forces and three were killed while covering the offensive.
Israel has begun to use the same methods internally as it does outside its own territory. Reporters Without Borders registered five arrests of journalists, some of them completely illegal, and three cases of imprisonment. The military censorship applied to all the media is also posing a threat to journalists.
As regards its extraterritorial actions, Israel was ranked 150th. The toll of the war was very heavy. Around 20 journalists in the Gaza Strip were injured by the Israeli military forces and three were killed while covering the offensive.
Bringing up the rear we find the usual suspects —Eritrea, North Korea and Turkmenistan— in close competition with Iran, which is "at the gates of the infernal trio."
RSF indicts the Tehran regime for its brutal repression of the pro-democracy demonstrations, "which plunged the country into a major crisis and fostered regime paranoia about journalists and bloggers."
Automatic prior censorship, state surveillance of journalists, mistreatment, journalists forced to flee the country, illegal arrests and imprisonment – such is the state of press freedom this year in Iran.
Already at the lower end of the rankings in previous years, Iran has now reached the gates of the infernal trio at the very bottom – Turkmenistan (173rd), North Korea (174th) and Eritrea (175th) – where the media are so suppressed they are non-existent.
Already at the lower end of the rankings in previous years, Iran has now reached the gates of the infernal trio at the very bottom – Turkmenistan (173rd), North Korea (174th) and Eritrea (175th) – where the media are so suppressed they are non-existent.
On the bright side, special mention goes to Ireland, which jumped up to the first position, sharing it with the traditional stalwarts of international press freedom, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
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