The international free press watchdog Reporters Without Borders marked World Press Freedom Day yesterday by publishing a list of 40 figures it describes as “predators of press freedom.”
The list contains political officials, religious leaders and radical organizations which the advocacy group say systematically target journalists. Among the “predators” are 17 heads of states, as well as prime ministers, government officials, regular armies, and criminal and terrorist organizations.
Featured in the list are the presidents of China, Iran, Rwanda, Tunisia, the Colombian guerilla group FARC, the Basque extremist organization ETA, Israeli military forces, and the Palestinian security apparatus.
Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based group celebrating its 25th anniversary, is launching a campaign against the press “predators,” with a signature poster that features the presidents of North Korea, Iran, Libya and Tunisia.
Since the beginning of 2010, nine journalists have lost their lives for speaking out, while another 300 journalists and “netizens” are currently in prison, says the agency.
The head of Somali intelligence–who was removed from his position in December 2008–and some Islamic groups have been taken off the yearly list of “predators,” while Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Salahis was included for the first time.
In a related development, Arab journalists warned that the Arab press is suffering from penalties restricting press freedom and the violations committed by some Arab governments.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
