2013 WORLD PRESS FREEDOM INDEX: DASHED HOPES AFTER SPRING

                     
                                  Reporters facing extreme conditions in 2013,
                                          Reporters Without Borders says 

PRESS FREEDOM INDEX 2013After the “Arab springs” and other protest movements that prompted many rises and falls in last year’s index, the 2013 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index marks a return to a more usual configuration.

The ranking of most countries is no longer attributable to dramatic political developments. This year’s index is a better reflection of the attitudes and intentions of governments towards media freedom in the medium or long term. The same three European countries that headed the index last year hold the top three positions again this year.

For the third year running, Finland has distinguished itself as the country that most respects media freedom.
It is followed by the Netherlands and Norway.
Although many criteria are considered, ranging from legislation to violence against journalists, democratic countries occupy the top of the index while dictatorial countries occupy the last three positions. Again it is the same three as last year – Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea.For the second year running, the bottom three countries are immediately preceded by Syria(176th, 0), where a deadly information war is being waged, and Somalia (175th, -11), which has had a deadly year for journalists.

Iran (174th, +1), China (173rd, +1), Vietnam (172nd, 0), Cuba(171st, -4), Sudan (170th, 0) and Yemen (169th, +2) complete the list of the ten countries that respect media freedom least.

Not content with imprisoning journalists and citizens, Iran also harasses the relatives of journalists, including the relatives of those who are abroad.