ZAGREB, Oct 20 (Hina) - The Reporters Without Borders international organisation on Monday issued a report on freedom of the media in the world which ranks Croatia 69th, much worse than last year.
ZAGREB, Oct 20 (Hina) - The Reporters Without Borders international
organisation on Monday issued a report on freedom of the media in
the world which ranks Croatia 69th, much worse than last year. #L#
This is the second report which places Croatia, among the countries
in the region, higher only than Serbia-Montenegro, ranked 85th.
Croatia is below Albania (34th), Bosnia-Herzegovina (37th),
Macedonia (51st) as well as the highly-placed Slovenia (20th).
While last year Croatia ranked 33rd, this year it shares the 69th
place with Tanzania. The report does not state the reasons for such
a dramatic tumble.
The report includes 166 countries and was compiled on the basis of
answers to a series of questions concerning breaches of media
freedoms which were put to journalists, researchers, lawyers, and
human rights activists.
Like last year, the pole position is shared by Finland, Iceland, the
Netherlands, and Norway, while North Korea is at the very bottom.
The situation with media freedoms is the worst in Asia, as was the
case in 2002, notably in the aforementioned North Korea, Burma,
Laos, China, Iran, Vietnam, Turkmenistan, and Bhutan.
Cuba was ranked 165th. Twenty-six independent journalists there
were sentenced this spring to jail terms ranging from 14 to 27 years
on account of their work.
In Africa, the situation is the worst in Eritrea, which was placed
162nd. The situation in the Ivory Coast and Liberia deteriorated
due to conflicts.
In the cases of the United States and Israel, the report
distinguishes between the situation at home and conduct abroad.
The U.S. ranked 31st when it came to respect for freedom of the media
domestically, but a lowly 135th internationally due to the
responsibility for the death of several journalists in Iraq.
Israel ranked 44th domestically but only 146th abroad because of
the conduct of its troops in occupied parts of Palestine.
The situation in the European Union was assessed as good, with the
exception of Italy and Spain.
Italy was ranked 53rd, like last year, and is the worst placed of the
EU members. Reporters Without Borders point to the as yet
unresolved conflict of interest of Silvio Berlusconi in his
capacity as prime minister and owner of a media empire.
Spain owes its placing as 42nd to difficulties journalists
encounter in the Basque country. France was ranked 26th owing to an
out-of-date slander act and because the right to protect the source
is contested and journalists are often arrested.
The war in Iraq greatly influenced the restriction of media
freedoms in Arab countries. Kuwait was ranked highest as 102nd,
losing the best place in the Arab world to Lebanon, which this year
was ranked 106th. Saudi Arabia was ranked 156th, Syria 155th, Libya
153rd, and Oman 152nd and all limit media freedoms in every possible
way, reads the report.
The situation continues to be worrying in Russia (148), Ukraine
(132), and Belarus (151). Independent media do exist in Russia but
censorship is strong for everything connected with the war in
Chechnya, according to the report, which says the murders and
kidnappings of journalists continue to make Russia one of the most
dangerous places in the world.
(hina) ha sb