Survey reports of CPJ, RSF & Freedom House
CPJ, RSF, Freedom House survey global press freedom trends
As journalists and free-expression groups around the world celebrated World Press Freedom Day, three IFEX members highlighted the global challenges facing press freedom, including increased safety risks for media in conflict zones and weakening democracies.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) put Iraq at the top of its list of the World’s Worst Places to be a Journalist, citing 25 journalists killed since the U.S.-led war began. In recent weeks, insurgents have systematically targeted foreigners, including journalists, and Iraqis who work for them, noted CPJ.
At least six Iraqi media workers have been murdered, and several more have received threats. Armed groups have abducted eight journalists in 2004, though all have been released. Since January 2004, 12 journalists have been killed.
U.S. forces also pose a threat to working journalists, says CPJ. Up to nine journalists have been killed by gunfire from American troops, while others have been detained and physically mistreated.
CPJ’s list includes nine other countries where press freedom is most threatened. They include Cuba, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Bangladesh, Turkmenistan, China, Eritrea, Haiti, Russia and the West Bank/Gaza (See the list: http://www.cpj.org/enemies/worst_places_04/worst_places_04.html).
Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) also produced its own list of press-freedom hotspots – tourist destinations ruled by autocratic regimes. Calling them “dictatorships in paradise,” RSF says Burma, Cuba, the Maldives, the Seychelles, Tunisia and Vietnam are places where “independent journalists are treated as public enemies and are relentlessly harassed by authorities.”
In Burma, the military junta maintains complete news censorship, says RSF. Eleven journalists are behind bars and their prison conditions are deteriorating. Cuba is the world’s biggest prison for journalists, with 29 in jail. Most of them have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 14 to 27 years.
In the Maldives, Asia’s longest-serving head of state, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, cannot stand any criticism, RSF says. Two Internet dissidents are serving life terms for criticising his government. In the Seychelles, authorities are harassing the only opposition newspaper, “Regar,” through lawsuits that could force the publication to close.
President Ben Ali continues to control the print media in Tunisia and journalist who dare to criticise his policies suffer ongoing harassment, according to RSF. And in Vietnam, authorities are cracking down on Internet users who share critical views with others. (see RSF’s report: http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=416)
Freedom House is noting a substantial decline in press freedom around the world in the past year. In its report “Freedom of the Press 2004: A Global Survey of Media Independence,” the group says legal harassment, political pressure and violence by state and non-state actors against journalists has led to worsened conditions in many countries.
The survey examines 193 countries and rates them according to the degree of print, broadcast and Internet freedom during 2003.
Some of the most serious setbacks occurred in countries where democracy is “backsliding,” says Freedom House. They include Italy, Bolivia and Russia. In particular, Italy was singled out as a country where increased media concentration has allowed Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to exert “undue influence over the public broadcaster RAI.” Berlusconi’s media holdings include three of Italy’s largest private television stations.
Regionally, the Middle East and North Africa was considered the least free, followed by sub-Saharan Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Source: IFEX
Date:5/5/2004
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