Cuba shamed on press freedom
An international group campaigning for press freedom has put Cuba among
the top ten countries where it says restrictions on newspapers and
journalists have worsened in the last five years.
According to the report, Cuba became one of the world's leading jailers
of journalists in the past five years with 29 journalists being
imprisoned in 2003 alone in a massive crackdown.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also singled
out Cuba as the fifth worst overall in their list of places worldwide
where press freedom has deteriorated.
Limited coverage
In addition to the imprisonments in Cuba, the report claims four foreign
journalists were expelled after covering a 2005 political opposition
meeting, with a further 10 being barred entry when Fidel Castro became
ill in 2006.
The report reflects a mixture of relatively open countries that have
turned increasingly repressive and traditionally restrictive nations
where press conditions, remarkably, have worsened.
Why Cuba?
According to the CPJ, Cuba is an example of the latter and has been
included high in the list because it has ratcheted up press restrictions
through widespread imprisonments, expulsions, and harassment over the
last 5 years.
"The behaviour of all of these countries is deeply troubling, but the
rapid retreats in nations where the media have thrived demonstrate just
how easily the fundamental right to press freedom can be taken away,"
said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon.
Three nations in sub-Saharan Africa were also among the countries
highlighted as having deteriorating conditions for free-press.
Sub-Saharan democracies suffering
Ethiopia, Gambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo have won praise at
times for their transition to democracy.
However the CPJ report claims that but they are actually now moving in
reverse on press issues.
"Democracy's foothold in Africa is shallow when it comes to press
freedom," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon.
CPJ staff excluded from consideration zones such as Iraq and Somalia,
which lack conventional governance and newsgathering.
The CPJ's top ten offenders:
1. Ethiopia
2. Gambia
3. Russia
4. Democratric Republic of Congo
5. Cuba
6. Pakistan
7. Egypt
8. Azerbaijan
9. Morocco
10. Thailand
http://www.bbc.co.uk/caribbean/news/story/2007/05/070502_pressfreedom.shtml
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