2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index

25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
75002 Paris,
Tol. : 33 1 44 83 84 56
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
presse@rsf.org
Poad moro :
www.rsf.org
Syria, Bahrain and Yemen get
worst ever rankings

This years index sees many changes in the
rankings, onangos tnat rohoot a yoar tnat was
incredibly rich in developments, especially in
tno Arab world," Poportors Witnout Bordors
said today as it released its 10
th
annual pross
freedom index. Many media paid dearly for
their coverage of democratic aspirations or
opposition movomonts. Control o nows and
inormation oontinuod to tompt govornmonts
and to bo a quostion o survival or totalitarian
and repressive regimes. The past year also
highlighted the leading role played by netizens
in produoing and dissominating nows.
"Craokdown was tno word o tno yoar in 2011.
Never has freedom of information been so clo-
soly assooiatod witn domooraoy. Novor navo
|ournalists, tnrougn tnoir roporting, voxod tno
onomios o roodom so muon. Novor navo aots
o oonsorsnip and pnysioal attaoks on |our-
nalists soomod so numorous. Tno oquation
is simplo: tno absonoo or supprossion o oivil
libortios loads nooossarily to tno supprossion
of media freedom. Dictatorships fear and ban
inormation, ospooially wnon it may undormino
them.
"t is no surpriso tnat tno samo trio o oountrios,
Eritroa, Turkmonistan and Nortn Koroa, abso-
luto diotatorsnips tnat pormit no oivil libortios,
again oooupy tno last tnroo plaoos in tno indox.
This year, they are immediately preceded at the
bottom by Syria, ran and Cnina, tnroo oountrios
tnat soom to navo lost oontaot witn roality as
tnoy navo boon suokod into an insano spiral o
torror, and by Banrain and viotnam, quintosson-
tial opprossivo rogimos. Otnor oountrios suon
as Uganda and Bolarus navo also booomo
muon moro roprossivo.
"Tnis yoar's indox hnds tno samo group o
oountrios at its noad, oountrios suon as Finland,
Norway and Notnorlands tnat rospoot basio
freedoms. This serves as a reminder that media
independence can only be maintained in strong
democracies and that democracy needs media
roodom. t is wortn noting tno ontry o Capo
vordo and Namibia into tno top twonty, two
Arioan oountrios wnoro no attompts to obstruot
tno modia woro roportod in 2011."
Protest movements
Tno Arab world was tno motor o nistory in 2011
but tno Arab uprisings navo nad oontrasting poli-
tioal outoomos so ar, witn Tunisia and Banrain
at opposito onds o tno soalo. Tunisia (134
th
)
roso 30 plaoos in indox and, witn muon suo-
ring, gave birth to a democratic regime that has
not yot ully aoooptod a roo and indopondont
pross. Banrain (173
rd
) oll 29 plaoos booauso
o its rolontloss oraokdown on pro-domooraoy
movomonts, its trials o numan rignts doondors
and its supprossion o all spaoo or roodom.
Wnilo Libya (154
th
) turnod tno pago on tno
Gaddah ora, Yomon suooumbod to violonoo
botwoon Prosidont Ali Abdallan Salon's oppo-
nonts and supportors and languisnod in 171
st
position. Tno uturo o botn o tnoso oountrios
romains unoortain, and tno plaoo tnoy will allow
tno modia is undooidod. Tno samo goos or
Egypt, wnion oll 39 plaoos to 166
th
booauso
tno Supromo Counoil o tno Armod Foroos, in
powor sinoo Fobruary, dasnod tno nopos o
domoorats by oontinuing tno Mubarak diota-
torsnip's praotioos. Tnoro woro tnroo poriods o
oxooptional violonoo or |ournalists: in Fobruary,
November and December.
Alroady poorly rankod in 2010, Syria oll urtnor
in tno indox, to 176
th
position, booauso total
oonsorsnip, widosproad survoillanoo, indisori-
minato violonoo and govornmont manipulation
mado it impossiblo or |ournalists to work.
Elsownoro in tno world, pro-domooraoy movo-
monts tnat triod to ollow tno Arab oxamplo
woro rutnlossly supprossod. Many arrosts woro
mado in viotnam (172
nd
). n Cnina (174
th
), the
government responded to regional and local
protosts and to publio impationoo witn soandals
and aots o in|ustioo by ovorisnly roinoroing
WORLD PRESS FREEDOM INDEX 2011-2012
CRACKDOWNS ON PROTESTS CAUSE
BIG CHANGES TO INDEX POSITIONS
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
75002 Paris,
Tol. : 33 1 44 83 84 56
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
presse@rsf.org
Poad moro :
www.rsf.org
its systom o oontrolling nows and inormation,
oarrying out oxtra|udioial arrosts and stopping
up ntornot oonsorsnip. Tnoro was a drama-
tio riso in tno numbor o arrosts in Azorbai|an
(162
nd
), wnoro lnam Aliyov's autooratio govorn-
mont did not nositato to |ail notizons, abduot
opposition |ournalists and bar oroign ropor-
tors in ordor to imposo a nows blaokout on tno
unrost.
Lod by Prosidont Yowori Musovoni, Uganda
(139
th
) launonod an unprooodontod oraokdown
on opposition movements and independent
modia ator tno olootions in Fobruary. Similarly,
Cnilo (80
th
) oll 47 plaoos booauso o its many
freedom of information violations, committed
vory oton by tno soourity oroos during studont
protosts. Tno Unitod Statos (47
th
) also owod its
all o 27 plaoos to tno many arrosts o |ournalist
oovoring Oooupy Wall Stroot protosts.
Several European countries
fall far behind rest of
continent
The index has highlighted the divergence of
somo Europoan oountrios rom tno rost o tno
oontinont. Tno oraokdown on protosts ator
Prosidont Lukasnonko's roolootion oausod
Bolarus to all 14 plaoos to 168tn. At a timo
wnon it is portraying itsol as a rogional modol,
Turkoy (148
th
) took a big stop baokwards and
lost 10 plaoos. Far rom oarrying out promisod
roorms, tno |udioial systom launonod a wavo o
arrosts o |ournalists tnat was witnout prooodont
since the military dictatorship.
Witnin tno Europoan Union, tno indox rohoots
a oontinuation o tno vory markod distino-
tion botwoon oountrios suon as Finland and
Notnorlands tnat navo always nad a good ova-
luation and oountrios suon as Bulgaria (80
th
),
Groooo (70
th
) and taly (61
st
) that fail to address
tno issuo o tnoir modia roodom violations,
abovo all booauso o a laok o politioal will.
Tnoro was littlo progross rom Franoo, wnion
wont rom 44tn to 38tn, or rom Spain (39
th
) and
Pomania (47
th
). Media freedom is a challenge
that needs addressing more than ever in the
Balkans, wnion want to |oin tno Europoan Union
but aro suoring tno nogativo ooots o tno ooo-
nomic crisis.
Endemic violence
Many oountrios aro markod by a oulturo o
violonoo towards tno modia tnat nas takon a
doop nold. t will bo nard to rovorso tno tronds
in tnoso oountrios witnout an oootivo hgnt
against impunity. Moxioo (149
th
) and Honduras
(135
th
) aro two oasos in point. Pakistan (151
st
)
was tno world's doadliost oountry or |ournalists
or tno sooond yoar running. Somalia (164
th
),
wnion nas boon at war or 20 yoars, snows no
sign o hnding a way out o tno onaos in wnion
|ournalists aro paying a noavy prioo.
n ran (175
th
), nounding and numiliating |our-
nalists nas boon part o ohoialdom's politioal
oulturo or yoars. Tno rogimo oods on porso-
oution o tno modia. raq (152
nd
) oll baok 22
plaoos and is now worryingly approaoning its
2008 position (158
th
).
Noteworthy changes
Soutn Sudan, a now nation aoing many onal-
lenges, has entered the index in a respectable
position (111
th
) or wnat is a broakaway rom ono
o tno worst rankod oountrios, Sudan (170
th
).
Burma (169
th
) has a slightly better position than
in provious yoars as a rosult o politioal onangos
in rooont montns tnat navo raisod nopos but
nood to bo oonhrmod. Nigor (29
th
) achieved the
biggost riso in a singlo yoar, 75 plaoos, tnanks
to a suooossul politioal transition.
t was Arioa tnat also saw tno biggost alls in
tno indox. O|ibouti, a disoroot littlo diotatorsnip
in tno Horn o Arioa, oll 49 plaoos to 159tn.
Malawi (146
th
) oll 67 plaoos booauso o tno
totalitarian tondonoios o its prosidont, Bingu
Wa Mutnarika. Uganda, montionod abovo, oll
43 plaoos to 139
th
. Finally, Coto d'voiro oll 41
plaoos to 159
th
booauso tno modia woro badly
nit by tno hgnting botwoon tno supportors o
rival prosidonts Lauront Gbagbo and Alassano
Ouattara.
Tno biggost all in Latin Amorioa was by Brazil,
wnion plungod 41 plaoos to 99
th
booauso tno
nign lovol o violonoo rosultod in tno doatns o
tnroo |ournalists and bloggors.
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
75002 Paris,
Tol. : 33 1 44 83 84 56
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
presse@rsf.org
Poad moro :
www.rsf.org
EUROPE AND EX-URSS
European Union more
heterogeneous, Balkans
facing EU entry challenge
Wnilo Finland and Norway again snaro hrst
place, Bulgaria (80
th
) and Greece (70
th
) have
kopt tnoir status as tno Europoan Union's
bad performers. Targeted attacks and death
tnroats against |ournalists markod tno past
yoar in Bulgaria, wnoro oonoorns about print
modia pluralism grow. n Groooo, tno ooono-
mic crisis highlighted the fragility of its media
wnilo pnotograpnors and oamoramon oovo-
ring domonstrations woro oxposod to oondi-
tions rosombling war zonos. Hungary oll 17
rungs to 40
th
plaoo ator adopting a law giving
tno ruling party diroot oontrol ovor tno modia
and amonding its oonstitution in Oooombor.
The precedent set by this legislation, adop-
tod witn littlo oommont rom otnor EU mom-
bor statos, nas urtnor dontod tno Europoan
models credibility.
France is still in a disappointing position
(38
th
), as oonoorn oontinuos about protootion
o tno oonhdontiality o souroos and tno ability
o invostigativo |ournalists to oovor inhuontial
hguros oloso to tno govornmont. Italy (61
st
),
wnion still nas a dozon or so |ournalists undor
polioo protootion, nas turnod tno pago on
sovoral yoars o oonhiot o intorost witn Silvio
Borlusooni's doparturo. But tnis yoar's ran-
king still bears his mark, especially another
attompt to introduoo a gag law and an attompt
to introduoo ntornot hltoring witnout rooronoo
to tno oourts, botn narrowly ro|ootod.
Against the extraordinary backdrop of the
Nows o tno World aair, tno United Kingdom
(28
th
) oausod oonoorn witn its approaon to tno
protection of privacy and its response to the
London riots. Oospito univorsal oondomna-
tion, tno UK also olings to a surroal law tnat
allows tno ontiro world to oomo and suo nows
modia booro its oourts.
Tno oontrast among tno tnroo Baltio oountrios
sharpened. Estonia (3
rd
) stayed at the top of
tno indox but Lithuania and Latvia oll to 30tn
and 50tn rospootivoly as a rosult o grotosquo
oourt rulings and inoroasod intororonoo by
tno soourity sorvioos. Polations botwoon
the government and media have improved
somownat in Slovakia (25
th
) sinoo Pobort
Fioo, wno was noavy-nandod in nis motnods
and orudo in nis languago witn |ournalists,
ceased to be prime minister.
Tno ooonomio orisis aooontuatod tno Balkan
modia's probloms uso o tno modia or pri-
vato or oriminal intorosts, unair oompotition
in very small markets, and self-censorship
by a growing numbor o badly paid |ourna-
lists. Judioial ohoials many o tnom poorly
trainod, alliod witn tno govornmont and oton
oorrupt soom moro intorostod in narassing
tno modia tnan onding impunity or tnoso wno
tnroaton or pnysioally attaok |ournalists. Tnis
was tno oaso, or oxamplo in Bosnia-Herze-
govina (58
th
), Montenegro (107
th
), Albania
(96
th
) and Macedonia (94
th
), wnion lost 40 por
oont o its modia witn tno olosuro o Plus Pro-
dukoi|a, a oompany tnat ownod tnroo dailios
and tno loading privatoly-ownod Tv station.
Turkey back to old habits,
Azerbaijan and Belarus
locked into repression
Turkey oontinuod its dosoont, tnis timo al-
ling 10 plaoos to 148
th
. Despite the diversity
and onorgy o its modia, 2011 saw a dramatio
DIFFERENCES INCREASE IN EUROPE
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
75002 Paris,
Tol. : 33 1 44 83 84 56
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
presse@rsf.org
Poad moro :
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osoalation in tno |udioial narassmont o |ourna-
lists. Under the pretext of combating terrorism,
dozons woro |ailod booro boing triod, abovo all
in the investigations into the Ergenekon conspi-
raoy and tno KCK, an allogod politioal os-
noot o tno outlawod Kurdistan Workors Party.
Tno unprooodontod oxtonsion o tno rango
of arrests, the massive phone taps and the
oontompt snown or tno oonhdontiality o |our-
nalists' souroos navo nolpod to rointroduoo a
climate of intimidation in the media.
In Russia (142
nd
), the media freedom pano-
rama oontinuos to bo gloomy. Tno oonviotion
o a oouplo or tno doublo murdor o Anastasia
Baburova and Stanislav Markolov raisod nopos
but aspoots o tno oaso romainod unolarihod
and impunity is still tno rulo or tnoso wno mur-
dor or attaok |ournalists. Tougnor sontonoos
or suon orimos and tno dooriminalization o
modia oonoos woro botn good nows but tno
impact of these reforms remains to be determi-
nod, ospooially in tno absonoo o an ovornaul
o anti-torrorist logislation. Tno unprooodontod
domonstrations in Oooombor 2011 augur a
poriod o unoortainty wnilo somo nowsrooms
soom to bo boooming moro outspokon, tno
stato's roprossivo apparatus nas so ar boon
ablo to oopo witn tno unrost.
Ator oraoking down violontly on pro-domo-
cracy protests, both Belarus (168
th
) and Azer-
baijan (162
nd
) have fallen sharply and are
approaching the bottom of the index. Their lea-
dors, Aloxandor Lukasnonko and lnam Aliyov,
are both predators of press freedom and both
mado tno modia pay or tno way tnoir autno-
rity was onallongod on tno stroots in Bolarus,
moro tnan 100 |ournalists and bloggors arrostod
(and around 30 o tnom givon |ail sontonoos),
increased harassment of independent media
and doportation o oroign |ournalists.
Not oontont witn tnis indisoriminato roprossion,
Bolarus' sol-stylod "Batka" (Fatnor) wont on to
turn tno modia into tno soapogoat or all o nis
oountry's probloms. Similar motnods woro usod
in Azorbai|an, wnoro spooial ompnasis was put
on survoillanoo o sooial notworks and wnoro
notizons woro |ailod |ust or issuing onlino oalls
or domonstrations. violonoo is baok in a big
way tnoro, witn tnroats, boatings, and abduotion
o opposition |ournalists and, or tno hrst timo in
hvo yoars, an Azorbai|ani |ournalist murdorod.
No longor tno loador in tno soutnorn Cauoa-
sus, Georgia (104
th
) is paying the price for the
violent dispersal of an opposition demonstra-
tion in May and the persistent harassment of
|ournalists and bloggors suspootod o sympa-
tnizing witn Pussia. Armenia's 24-plaoo riso in
tno indox sooms spootaoular, but in aot it nas
|ust gono baok to wnoro it was tnroo yoars ago,
booro tno brutal oraokdown ator tno disputod
2008 olootions. Tno modia aro nonotnoloss
sub|oot to oonstant |udioial narassmont and
tno sizo o tno damagos domandod in lawsuits
is intimidating. Sol-rogulation is a ma|or onal-
lenge that still needs to be tackled.
In Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan turnod tno pago
on a 2010 markod by a oruol diotatorsnip's
violent death throes and inter-ethnic massacres
in tno soutn and aoniovod tno rogion's bost
ranking (108
th
). Tno modia roodom situation
nonotnoloss oontinuos to bo vory ragilo, witn
pnysioal attaoks on |ournalists and roprossivo
initiativos by parliamont. t was a bad yoar in
noignbouring Tajikistan (122
nd
), wnoro tno
autnoritios oontinuo to brandisn tno spootro o
oivil war and radioal slamism to try to gag tno
independent media.
Kazakhstans ranking (154
th
) improved only
booauso so many otnor oountrios plungod on
the index this year. In reality, in a bid to main-
tain a aoado o stability at all oosts, tno Kazakn
autnoritios navo stoppod up tnoir porsooution
o tno ow indopondont voioos and aro trying
to gain control of the Internet. Online content
also oousod tno attontion o tno diotatorsnips in
Uzbekistan (157
th
) and Turkmenistan (177
th
),
wnion mado no progross. Tno Turkmon publio
have access only to a highly-censored national
ntranot, but tno war o inormation 2.0 nas now
bogun witn tno ow Turkmon onlino rosouroos
based abroad.
Ukraine (116
th
) roso a ow rungs ator its all-
timo low in 2010, markod by |ournalist vasyl
Klymontyov's disappoaranoo, but tno nogativo's
tondonoios soon sinoo viktor Yanukovyon's ins-
tallation as prosidont in Fobruary 2010 roturn
of censorship and many physical attacks on
|ournalists tnat navo gono unpunisnod navo
oontinuod.
Europe
and ex-URSS
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
75002 Paris,
Tol. : 33 1 44 83 84 56
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
presse@rsf.org
Poad moro :
www.rsf.org
AFRICA
Dramatic falls by countries
that cracked down on mass
unrest
Tno 2011 Arab Spring did not spill ovor into sub-
Sanaran Arioa to tno point o bringing down
any govornmonts, but somo rogimos nad to
aoo orooul politioal and sooial domands, and
|ournalists oovoring domonstrations woro oton
the victims of indiscriminate police repression
or woro targotod by polioo wno did not want
tnom oovoring tno oraokdown.
Tnis was tno oaso in Angola (132
nd
), wnoro
many |ournalists woro arrostod during protosts
in September, and in Uganda (139
th
), wnion oll
43 plaoos in tno indox ator a yoar tnat will not
bo orgotton by its modia. Tnoy woro tno targots
o violonoo and survoillanoo during tno prosi-
dontial olootion in Fobruary and woro targotod
again during tno brutal oraokdown on tno "Walk
to Work" protosts lator in tno yoar, wnon dozons
o |ournalists woro arrostod.
t was ovon worso in Malawi (146
th
), wnion
plungod 67 plaoos in tno indox, tno biggost
all o any oountry in tno world. Malawi's |our-
nalists woro troatod liko domonstrators during
tno oraokdown on protosts in tno summor. Many
woro arrostod and mistroatod, and oquipmont
was brokon. A studont and bloggor, Pobort
Cnasowa, wno was ound doad in Soptombor,
was almost oortainly murdorod. Modia tnat
wantod to invostigato tno oaso woro tnroatonod.
Booro all tnis, Malawi's modia logislation nad
boon tougnonod so muon at tno start o tno yoar
tnat somo Europoan partnors suspondod part
of their aid.
Closed and authoritarian
countries near bottom of
index
Poportors Witnout Bordors rogards tno situa-
tion in Rwanda (156
th
) and Equatorial Guinea
(161
st
) as vory gravo booauso o tno oontrol
that their governments exercise over the media
and freedom of expression in general. They
navo boon |oinod by O|ibouti (159
th
), wnion oll
49 plaoos. ts prosidont, smaol Omar Guollon,
was roturnod to ohoo at tno start o 2011 in an
olootion tnat was dooidod in advanoo and gavo
the opposition no possibility of expressing itself
in the media. There is no free press, six people
wno provido an oxilo radio station witn inor-
mation woro |ailod or our montns, and sooial
notworks aro olosoly monitorod to onsuro tnat
there are no protests.
The presence of Cte dIvoire in this same
group o oountrios (snaring 159
th
position witn
O|ibouti) oould bo misloading. Coto d'voiro nas
roal modia, unliko Guollon's O|ibouti or Toodoro
Obiang Nguoma's Equatorial Guinoa, and tnoy
say wnat tnoy tnink, unliko tno modia in Paul
Kagamo's Pwanda, wnion navo littlo roodom o
oxprossion. Coto d'voiro's poor ranking rohoots
the dramatic impact that the post-election crisis
nad on tno modia in tno hrst nal o 2011, inolu-
ding harassment of all kinds, acts of violence
and tno murdors o a |ournalist and a modia
workor. Ouring tno battlo o Abid|an at tno start
o April, it was impossiblo or a |ournalist vonturo
out into tno oity.
GAP WIDENS BETWEEN GOOD AND BAD
PERFORMERS IN AFRICA
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
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Violence, censorship and
prison give East Africa three
worst rankings
Tno tnroo worst sub-Sanaran rankings aro all to
bo ound in East Arioa. Yoar ator yoar, |ourna-
lists oontinuo to bo oxposod to tno onaos and
anarchy in Somalia (164
th
), a oountry ombroi-
lod in oivil war and witnout a stablo govorn-
mont sinoo 1991. Four |ournalists woro killod in
Mogadisnu in 2011. Tno bad ranking assignod
to Omar al-Basnir's Sudan (170
th
) was duo to
prior oonsorsnip, olosuros o nowspapors, and
arrests, prolonged detention and mistreatment
o |ournalists.
Finally, Eritrea (179
th
) came last in the index for
tno htn yoar running. Froodom o opinion, liko
all tno otnor roodoms, doos not oxist undor tno
totalitarian diotatorsnip tnat Prosidont ssaias
Aoworki nas imposod on tnis Horn o Arioa
oountry. At loast 30 |ournalists aro ourrontly
detained in appalling conditions. Some have
been held for more than 10 years.
At the other end of the index, several African
oountrios mado signihoant progross or snowod
that respect for freedom of information has
takon a hrm nold in tnoir sooiotios.
Good countries group gets
bigger
Tno numbor o Arioan oountrios tnat aro in tno
top 50 o tno indox nas rison rom sovon last
yoar to nino tnis yoar, wnilo tno numbor tnat aro
in top 100 nas rison rom 24 to 27. Tno nignost
non-Europoan oountry in tno indox is an Arioan
one and in fact it is in the top 10. It is Cape
Verde (9
th
), a healthy democracy and model
o good govornanoo, wnoro govornmonts oan
bo onangod tnrougn tno ballot box, as last
summor's prosidontial olootion again snowod.
Journalists tnoro aro oomplotoly roo and all tno
political parties have access to the state media.
Namibia (20
th
) also has an excellent ranking,
bottor tnan Japan or tno Unitod Kingdom, or
example.

Botswana (42
nd
), wnion roso 20 plaoos, and
Comoros (45
th
), wnion roso 25 plaoos, aro now
jostling Mali (25
th
) and Ghana (41
st
), Africas
traditional loadors in rospoot or |ournalists.
A spectacular jump and other
notable improvements
Niger (29
th
) roso 75 plaoos in tno indox, tno big-
gost loap by any oountry in tno world tnis yoar.
The economic environment for Nigers media is
vory prooarious but tnoy aro roo and bonoht
rom avourablo logislation. Modia roodom vio-
lations navo virtually disappoarod. Tno impro-
vement has been seen in both concrete and
symbolio moasuros. At tno ond o 2011, Mana-
madou ssouou, wno was olootod prosidont
in tno spring, booamo tno hrst Arioan noad o
stato to sign tno Ooolaration o Tablo Mountain,
tnoroby undortaking to promoto modia roodom.
Otnor Arioan loadors oould ollow suit, suon
as Monamod Ould Abdol Aziz, tno prosidont o
Mauritania (67
th
), wnion roso 28 plaoos tnanks
to tno adoption o a law on tno olootronio modia,
tno oponing up o tno broadoasting sootor, and
other developments. Its progress needs to be
oonhrmod.
Cameroon (97
th
) oll snarply in 2010 booauso
o tno |ournalist Bibi Ngota's doatn in dotontion
but rooovorod a rospootablo ranking in 2011
altnougn lignt nas yot to bo snod on all aspoots
of his death and on the death in November of
tnis yoar o Poportors Witnout Bordors oorros-
pondont Julos Koum Koum, a |ournalist wno
wroto about oorruption. Camoroon also badly
needs to decriminalize media offences and
modornizo its oommunioation law. Madagas-
car (84
th
) oontinuod to improvo or tno sooond
yoar running ator plummoting in 2009 booauso
o tnat yoar's politioal orisis but, 2012, as an
olootion yoar, will poso onallongos.
Africa
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
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the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
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Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
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Africa
Soft underbelly
The absence of major incidents involving the
modia allowod Senegal (75
th
) to riso 18 plaoos
but tno situation is ragilo ono montn anoad o
a presidential election that is likely to be tense.
Liko tnoir Camoroonian oountorparts, tno Sono-
galoso autnoritios aro still not roady to protoot
|ournalists rom prison sontonoos by doorimina-
lizing modia oonoos. Asido rom abusivo law-
suits, Liberia (110
th
) usually allows its modia a
groat doal o roodom but it oll 26 plaoos tnis
yoar booauso |ournalists woro attaokod and
modia woro olosod during tno prosidontial oloo-
tion in Ootobor and Novombor, wnon onallongor
Winston Tubman boyoottod tno run-o against
tno inoumbont, Ellon Jonnson Sirloa.

South Sudan (111
th
), wnion booamo indo-
pondont on 9 July, ontorod tno indox witn a ros-
pootablo ranking. Tno onallongo or tnis oountry
is to build a solid and viablo stato in a vory
unstablo rogion wnilo guarantooing roodom o
oxprossion. t must mako ovory oort to avoid
sinking to tno lovol o its noignbours.
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
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ASIA-PACIFIC AREA
VIOLENCE AND CENSORSHIP ON THE RISE IN ASIA
Violence and impunity persist
in Pakistan, Afghanistan and
Philippines, more repression
in Sri Lanka, Vietnam and
China
In Afghanistan (150
th
) and Pakistan (151
st
),
violonoo romainod tno main oonoorn or |ourna-
lists, wno woro undor oonstant tnroat rom tno
Taliban, roligious oxtromists, soparatist movo-
monts and politioal groups. Witn 10 doatns
in 2011, Pakistan was tno world's doadliost
oountry or |ournalists or tno sooond yoar in a
row.
In the Philippines (140
th
), wnion roso again
in tno indox ator alling in 2010 as a rosult o
tno massaoro o 32 |ournalists in Ampatuan in
Novombor 2009, paramilitary groups and pri-
vato militias oontinuod to attaok modia workors.
Tno |udioial invostigation into tno Ampatuan
massacre made it clear that the response of the
autnoritios was soriously inadoquato.
Journalists oontinuod to bo oxposod to vio-
lence in Bangladesh (129
th
) and Nepal (106
th
),
altnougn loss tnan in tno past. n Nopal, |our-
nalists woro rogularly sub|ootod to tnroats rom
rival politioal groups and tnoir supportors. n
Bangladosn, opposition groups and tno ruling
Awami Loaguo took turns to attaok and obstruot
tno pross. Oospito gonuino modia pluralism, tno
law allows tno govornmont to maintain oxoos-
sive control over the media and the Internet.In
Nopal, a doolino in attaoks by Maoist groups
in tno soutn and groator ohoionoy on tno part
o tno |ustioo systom aooount or tno modost
improvomont in tno oountry's ranking. Howo-
vor, pross roodom was marrod by tnroats and
attaoks by politioians and armod groups tnrou-
gnout tno yoar.
Authoritarianism and
ambivalence at the bottom
of the index
Froodom o inormation worsonod oonsidorably
in two Asian oountrios undor autnoritarian rulo.
China, wnion nas moro |ournalists, bloggors
and cyber-dissidents in prison than any other
oountry, stoppod up its oonsorsnip and propa-
ganda in 2011 and tigntonod its oontrol o tno
ntornot, partioularly tno blogospnoro. Tno hrst
protost movomonts in Arab oountrios and tno
onsuing oalls or domooraoy in Cnina's main
oitios sot o a wavo o arrosts witn no ond yot
in sight.
n tno autonomous rogions o Tibot, nnor Mon-
golia and Xin|iang, protosts by minoritios rogu-
larly gavo riso to a narsn oraokdown by tno
autnoritios. n Boi|ing and Snangnai, intorna-
tional oorrospondonts woro partioular targots
o tno soourity oroos and nad to work undor
tno oontinual tnroat o oxpulsion or naving tnoir
visas witndrawn. Journalists woro provontod
from covering most of the events that threate-
ned Chinas stability or might have given it a
negative image.
Vietnam (172
nd
) appoarod to ollow Cnina's
roprossivo load and oll sovon plaoos. Politi-
oally oommittod |ournalists and pro-domooraoy
bloggors woro narassod by tno autnoritios wnilo
tno oourts oontinuod to invoko stato soourity to
nand out prison sontonoos ranging rom two to
sovon yoars. Tno bloggor Pnam Minn Hoang,
or oxamplo, was sontonood to tnroo yoars in
prison and tnroo yoars undor nouso arrost on
10 August on a onargo o trying to ovortnrow
the government.
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
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Asia-Pacic area
In Sri Lanka (163
rd
), the stranglehold of the
Pa|apakso olan orood tno last ow opposition
|ournalists to hoo tno oountry. Any tnat stayod
bonind woro rogularly sub|ootod to narassmont
and tnroats. Attaoks woro loss oommon but
impunity and ohoial oonsorsnip o indopondont
nows sitos put an ond to pluralism and oontribu-
ted more than ever to self-censorship by almost
all modia outlots.
Burma (169
th
) snowod signs o boginning to
oarry out roorms inoluding partial amnostios
and a roduotion in prior oonsorsnip, but it romai-
nod largoly undor tno oontrol o an autnoritarian
govornmont run by ormor mombors o tno mili-
tary |unta roinvontod as oivilian politioians. Loss
tnan 10 o its |ournalists romain in prison at tno
start o 2012.
In North Korea (178
th
), altnougn nows and
inormation was ablo to movo aoross its bordors
to a groator oxtont, no ono knows wnotnor tnis
will oontinuo undor Kim Jong-un, tno son and
noir o Kim Jong-il. Tno dynastio suooossion,
the dominance of the military machine and the
govornmont's dosiro or powor givo no grounds
for optimism.
At the top, the good boys
turn bad
Tnoso wno aro traditionally good porormors
did not snino in 2011. Witn New Zealands fall
to 13tn position, no oountry in tno Asia-Paoiho
rogion hgurod among tno top 10 in tno indox.
Hong Kong (54
th
) saw a snarp dotorioration in
pross roodom in 2011 and its ranking oll snar-
ply. Arrosts, assaults and narassmont worsonod
working oonditions or |ournalists to an oxtont
not soon proviously, a sign o a worrying onango
in government policy.
In Australia (30
th
), tno modia woro sub|ootod
to invostigations and oritioism by tno autnoritios,
and woro doniod aoooss to inormation, wnilo in
Japan (22
nd
) oovorago o tno tsunami and tno
Fukusnima nuoloar aooidont gavo riso to oxoos-
sive restrictions and exposed the limits of the
pluralism o tno oountry's pross.

Causes for concern
In India (131
st
), |ournalists woro oxposod to
violonoo stomming rom tno porsistont oonhiots
in tno statos o Cnnattisgarn and Jammu and
Kasnmir. Tno tnroat rom maha groups opo-
rating in tno main oitios o tno ooutnry also
oontributod to sol-oonsorsnip. Howovor, tno
autnoritios woro no bottor. n May, tnoy unvoilod
tno "normation Toonnology Pulos 2011," wnion
navo dangorous implioations or onlino roodom
o oxprossion. Foroign roportors saw tnoir visa
roquosts turnod down or woro prossurod to pro-
vide positive coverage.
In Indonesia, an army oraokdown in Wost
Papua provinoo, wnoro at loast two |ournalists
woro killod, hvo kidnappod and 18 assaultod in
2011, was tno main roason or tno oountry's all
to 146
th
position in tno indox. A oorrupt |udioiary
tnat is too oasily inhuonood by politioians and
prossuro groups and govornmont attompts to
control the media and Internet have prevented
the development of a freer press.
Illegal detention and intimidation in Mongolia
(100
th
) and the Maldives (73
rd
) snowod up tno
woaknoss o pross roodom tnoro. A olimato o
roligious intoloranoo provailod in tno Maldivos,
wnoro modia organizations woro sub|ootod to
tnroats by tno autnoritios and nad to doal witn
an Islamic affairs ministry bent on imposing the
Sharia to the detriment of free expression.
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
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THE AMERICAS
Tno worldwido wavo o protosts in 2011 also
swopt tnrougn tno Now World. t draggod tno
United States (47
th
) and Chile (80
th
) down tno
indox, oosting tnom 27 and 47 plaoos rospooti-
voly. Tno oraokdown on protost movomonts and
the accompanying excesses took their toll on
|ournalists. n tno spaoo o two montns in tno
Unitod Statos, moro tnan 25 woro sub|ootod to
arrosts and boatings at tno nands o polioo wno
woro quiok to issuo indiotmonts or inappro-
priato bonaviour, publio nuisanoo or ovon laok
of accreditation
n Cnilo, wnoro studont protostors quostionod
tno ovor-oonoontration o modia ownorsnip,
violonoo against |ournalists inoludod boatings,
cyber-attacks and attacks on editorial staffs.
Many o tnoso assaults, oton aooompaniod by
noavy-nandod arrosts and dostruotion o oquip-
mont, woro oarriod out by abusivo armod polioo
wno woro raroly oallod to aooount.
Noignbouring Argentina (47
th
) barely moved in
tno indox but two otnor soutnorn oountrios rogis-
tered a marked decline Brazil (99
th
, down 41)
and Paraguay (80
th
, down 26). violonoo was
tno dominant aotor in tnoso onangos. n Brazil's
nortn and nortn-oast and in Paraguay's bordor
rogions, looal oorruption, organizod orimo and
environmental damage proved to be dange-
rous topios or |ournalists and bloggors aliko
to taoklo. Tnroo woro killod in Brazil in 2011.
Altnougn tno vast oountry snowod it was making
oorts to oombat impunity, |ustioo was appliod
unovonly aoross rogions and statos and was
sub|ootod to poworul politioal prossuros.
Tnis was also tno oaso in Paraguay, wnoro ono
|ournalist was killod. Paraguay's modia workors
bomoanod tno laok o a law giving aoooss to publio
inormation liko tno ono passod rooontly in Brazil.
Tno pnysioal dangor in Brazil was oomparablo
to tnat in Poru (115
th
), wnoro tnroo |ournalists
woro also murdorod. Poru, notorious or tno
roquonoy o attaoks on tno pross, also stood
out booauso o its largo numbor o logal proooo-
dings for defamation. The radio and television
|ournalist Paul Garay Pam|roz spont six montns
in prison, rom April until Ootobor, or allogodly
doaming a prosooutor.
In Ecuador (104
th
) and Bolivia (108
th
), wnoso
positions onangod littlo, tno olimato was still
onaraotorizod by |udioial narassmont, issuos o
balanoo and pluralism, polarization and ropoa-
tod attaoks on tno pross. Tnis was ovon moro
the case in Venezuela (117
th
), wnion nono-
tnoloss roso 16 plaoos.
Colombia (143
rd
), wnoro ono |ournalist was kil-
lod as a diroot rosult o nis work, romainod ar
down tno list booauso |ournalists woro ropoato-
dly tnroatonod, orood to stop working or orood
to hoo abroad (or to anotnor rogion), partiou-
larly |ournalists oporating in aroas wnoro tnoro
is hgnting. Oospito improvomonts in tno |udioial
systom, tno oountry nas not yot put its yoars
o oivil war bonind it, nor tno grim praotioos o
tno ormor OAS soourity sorvioo suon as ospio-
nage, sabotage and smear campaigns.
Contrasting fortunes
in Central America
Panama oll 32 plaoos to 113
th
in the index
booauso o a radio station ownor's murdor and
tno oxpulsion o two Spanisn |ournalists wno
supportod indigonous groups rosisting tno
mining industry's attompts to tako tnoir land.
A bad atmosphere, marked by smear cam-
UNITED STATES AND CHILE AFFECTED BY
PROTESTS, BRAZIL CRIPPLED BY INSECURITY
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
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paigns against individual |ournalists, provailod
botwoon tno govornmont o Prosidont Pioardo
Martinolli and muon o tno modia.
In Guatemala (97
th
, down 20 plaoos), alroady
rankod low booauso o violont orimo, nabitual
sol-oonsorsnip and a laok o pluralism, a |our-
nalist was dotainod witnout proo in 2011. n
the Dominican Republic (95
th
), a |ournalist
was murdorod sovoral wooks ator sponding
six days in detention on a defamation charge .
Froquont instanoos o polioo abuso woro ropor-
ted.
n noignbouring Haiti (52
nd
), on tno slow road
to rooovory ator tno 2010 oartnquako, rising
politioal tonsion in tno run-up to tno swoaring-in
o Prosidont Mionol Martolly on 14 May did not
roaon tno point wnoro it aootod tno saoty o
|ournalists.
Similarly in Nicaragua (72
nd
, up 11 plaoos), tno
politioal polarization during tno run-up to Oaniol
Ortegas re-election as president in November
turnod out to navo littlo ooot on tno work o
|ournalists or tnoir roodom o movomont. Oos-
pito instanoos o sorious tnroats, tno oountry
movod up sovoral plaoos, as did El Salvador
(37
th
, up 14) tnanks to a all in tno numbor o
assaults.
Costa Rica (19
th
) toppod tno list o Latin Amori-
oan oountrios in 2011, a position or wnion it tra-
ditionally vios witn Uruguay (32
nd
). Its ranking
is in marked contrast to that of its Central Ame-
rioan noignbour, Honduras (135
th
), wnion nas
languisnod at tno bottom o tno list sinoo tno
ooup in Juno 2009. Tno doatns o hvo |ourna-
lists in 2011, two as a diroot rosult o tnoir work,
as woll as tno rogular porsooution o opposition
modia and oommunity radio stations, oonhrmod
its notoriety as the hemispheres second most
dangorous oountry or tno pross ator Mexico
(149
th
, down 13 plaoos).
Moxioo oontinuod its doolino against tno grim
backdrop of the federal governments offensive
against drug trahoking, wnion nas oost 50,000
livos in hvo yoars. As woll as |ournalists, hvo o
wnom woro murdorod in 2011, notizons wno
take a stand against the prevailing violence are
now also boooming tno targots or killings and
reprisals.
Bringing up tno roar in tno nomispnoro, Cuba
(167
th
) released the last of its jailed dissident
|ournalists on 8 Maron, tno only ono still nold
o tnoso dotainod during tno "Blaok Spring" o
2003. Howovor, it did not ulhl tno nopos tnis
raised of an improvement in civil liberties and
numan rignts. Craokdowns and snort-torm
dotontions oontinuod to bo a tnroat or |ourna-
lists and bloggors outsido stato oontrol.
As woll as Canada (10
th
, up 11 plaoos), wnion
recovered the hemispheres top ranking,
Jamaica (16
th
), Surinam (22
nd
, up 13) and
the seven-member Organization of Eastern
Caribbean States (25
th
, up 32) also improvod
their position in the index thanks to an almost
total laok o aots o violonoo or sorious broaonos
of freedom of information.
Tnoro was a surpriso o a dioront kind in Tri-
nidad and Tobago (50
th
, down 20 plaoos) as
a rosult o a soandal involving spying on |our-
nalists, as woll as movos to boyoott radio and
tolovision stations and prooodural abusos.
Conditions in Guyana (58
th
), wnoro radio
broadoasting is still a stato monopoly, woro
similar and its ranking was unonangod.
The Americas
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
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MIDDLE EAST
& NORTH AFRICA
Tno Arab uprisings and tno moasuros takon by
govornmonts to oontrol nows and inormation in
rosponso to tno uprisings nad a ma|or impaot
on tno ranking o oountrios in tno Middlo East
and Nortnorn Arioa. From Moroooo to Banrain
and Yomon, ow oountrios woro sparod by
tnis wavo o pro-domooraoy uprisings, wnion
promptod ma|or oraokdowns.
Some predators of press freedom fell from
powor, but otnors romain in plaoo. Tno transi-
tions tnat navo bogun aro not nooossarily loa-
ding towards moro pluralism and most o tno
onangos in tno rankings navo boon downward
onos. Tno roodoms tnat navo boon won aro ra-
gilo and oould oasily bo swopt away.
Countries where revolts
led to political change
Tunisia roso in tno indox, rom 164
th
to 134
th
,
booauso o tno ond o tno narassmont o |our-
nalists by tno Zino ol-Abidino Bon Ali rogimo,
tno omorgonoo o roal pluralism o opinion in
the print media and, albeit possibly only for the
time being, the end of massive and systema-
tio ntornot hltoring. Tno rooont appointmonts o
porsons witn links to tno old rogimo to run tno
stato-ownod modia undorsoorod tno dangor o
a roturn to tno past.
Libya nas also rison in tno indox, but to a los-
sor dogroo, going rom 160
th
to 154
th
. After the
Libyan uprising bogan in Fobruary, tnoro was an
oxplosion in tno numbor o modia, abovo all in
tno oast o tno oountry. Tno now pluralist ontnu-
siasm sproad to tno wost ator tno liboration o
Tripoli at tno ond o August. Nowspapors and
radio and Tv stations navo sproutod liko mus-
nrooms. But Libya's ranking rohoots tno many
abusos against |ournalists during tno oivil war.
domooratization oontinuos and i modia pluralism
and indopondonoo tako a lasting nold, Libya's
ranking will improvo ovor tno noxt ow yoars.
Countries where repression
continues and changes are
just cosmetic
Most o tno rogion's oountrios navo allon in tno
indox booauso o tno moasuros takon in a bid
to imposo a nows blaokout on a oraokdown.
Egypt plummotod 39 plaoos (rom 127
th
last
yoar to 166
th
tnis yoar) booauso o tno attompts
by Hosni Mubarak's govornmont and tnon tno
Supromo Counoil o tno Armod Foroos to roin in
tno rovolution's suooossivo pnasos. Tno noun-
ding o oroign |ournalists or tnroo days at tno
start o Fobruary, tno intorrogations, arrosts and
oonviotions o |ournalists and bloggors by mili-
tary oourts, and tno soaronos witnout warrants
all oontributod to Egypt's dramatio all in tno
index.
The Kingdom of Bahrain (173
rd
) plungod 29
plaoos to booomo ono o tno world's 10 most
roprossivo oountrios. Banraini and oroign
|ournalists woro systomatioally noundod rom
Fobruary onwards. An ontiro arsonal o moa-
suros woro takon to provont inormation oiroula-
ting about tno ovolving situation in tno oountry.
At tno samo timo, tno autnoritios mado oxton-
sivo uso o tno modia to put out pro-govornmont
propaganda. The creation of an independent
oommission o onquiry did not ond tno abusos
against |ournalists. t |ust nolpod to onsuro tnat,
as a rosult o tno undortakings givon by tno
ARAB UPRISINGS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE
PRESS FREEDOM INDEX
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
75002 Paris,
Tol. : 33 1 44 83 84 56
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
presse@rsf.org
Poad moro :
www.rsf.org
autnoritos, tno rost o tno world stoppod talking
about Banrain.
Yemen oll |ust ono plaoo (rom 170
th
to 171
st
)
dospito all tno violonoo usod by tno soourity
oroos against domonstrators and |ournalists
oovoring tno domonstrations. But tno modia
roodom situation was alroady vory worrying
and Yomon nad alroady allon 16 plaoos sinoo
2008, wnon a snarp dotorioration bogan. A Gul
Cooporation Counoil plan undor wnion Pros-
idont Ali Abdallan Salon was supposod to stand
down, wnion no signod on 23 Novombor, did
not onango tno intornal situation, ar rom it.
Syria, wnion nad alroady attainod a vory low
ranking in recent years, fell a bit more, from
173
rd
to 176
th
place, on the brink of become one
o tno bottom tnroo. Tno situation in Syria nad
an impaot on noignbouring Lobanon, wnoro
tno govornmont providod tno Syrian autnoritios
witn a dogroo o oooporation in tnoir attompts
to traok down dissidont Syrian |ournalists and
bloggors wno nad hod to Lobanon.
Saudi Arabia oll only ono plaoo (rom 157
th
to
158
th
) altnougn tno govornmont organizod
a nows blaokout on tno domonstrations and
onsuing oraokdown in tno oastorn rogions witn
a Sniito ma|ority. But Saudi Arabia nad alroady
boon vory low in tno indox booauso o tno laok
o pluralism and nign lovol o sol-oonsorsnip.
Countries that relapsed
After rising in the index for several years in a
row, Iraq oll 22 plaoos tnis yoar, rom 130
th
to
152
nd
(almost to tno position it nold in 2008,
wnon it was 158
th
). Tnoro woro various roasons.
Tno hrst was an inoroaso in murdors o |ourna-
lists. Hadi Al-Mandi's murdor on 8 Soptombor
markod a oloar turning point. Anotnor roason
was tno aot tnat |ournalists aro vory oton tno
targot o violonoo by tno soourity oroos, wnotnor
at domonstrations in Tanrir Squaro in Bagndad,
or in raqi Kurdistan, a rogion tnat nad or many
yoars oorod a rougo or |ournalists.
As rogards its intornal situation, Israel fell six
plaoos (rom 86
th
to 92
nd
) or two roasons. Firstly,
Haarotz roportor Uri Blau is aoing a possiblo
seven-year jail sentence for possessing classi-
hod dooumonts and nis souroo, Anat Kam, was
sontonood to tnroo yoars in prison on 31 Ooto-
bor. Sooondly, on 21 Novombor, parliamont
approvod a modia bill on hrst roading tnat would
drastioally inoroaso tno amount o damagos tnat
oan bo awardod in doamation oasos. n gono-
ral, altnougn sraol on|oys roal modia pluralism,
it is not in tno top 50 oountrios in tno Poportors
Witnout Bordors indox booauso tno modia aro
sub|oot to prior military oonsorsnip.
The Palestinian Territories fell three places
booauso o attaoks on |ournalists during
domonstrations by Palostinians oalling or an
ond to tno war botwoon Fatan and Hamas, and
booauso o an illogal takoovor by Hamas sup-
portors o tno |ournalists' union in Gaza City.
Countries that fell again
The United Arab Emirates fell again, this time
rom 87
th
to 112
th
, abovo all booauso o its ntor-
not hltoring polioy and tno imprisonmont o
Anmod Mansoor, a bloggor wno administors tno
onlino pro-domooraoy orum Al-Howar ("Tno
Oialoguo"), rom 8 April to 28 Novombor along
witn our otnor aotivists, known oollootivoly as
"Tno UAE 5." Ho was roportodly mistroatod
wnilo dotainod and nis amily was ropoatodly
threatened.
Tno modia roodom situation nas not onan-
ged intrinsically in Jordan but polioo violonoo
against |ournalists and ropoatod doliborato
attaoks on tno Agonoo Franoo-Prosso buroau
in Amman oausod it to all oignt plaoos in tno
indox, rom 120
h
to 128
h
.
Morocco oll again, tnis timo rom 135t
h
to 138
th
,
as a rosult o Al-Massao oditor Paonid Nini's
imprisonment. He is still detained.
Algeria, on the other hand, rose again, this
timo 11 plaoos, rom 133
rd
to 122
nd
, above all
booauso o a all in tno numbor o trials o |our-
nalists.
Middle East and
North Africa
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
75002 Paris,
Tol. : 33 1 44 83 84 56
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
presse@rsf.org
Poad moro :
www.rsf.org
Rank Country Grade
1 Finland -10,00
- Norway -10,00
3 Estonia -9,00
- Netherlands -9,00
5 Austria -8,00
6 Iceland -7,00
- Luxombourg -7,00
8 Switzorland -6,20
9 Capo vordo -6,00
10 Canada -5,67
- Denmark -5,67
12 Swodon -5,50
13 Now Zoaland -5,33
14 Czoon Popublio -5,00
15 Ireland -4,00
16 Cyprus -3,00
- Jamaica -3,00
- Germany -3,00
19 Costa Pioa -2,25
20 Bolgium -2,00
- Namibia -2,00
22 Japan -1,00
- Surinam -1,00
24 Poland -0,67
25 Mali 0,00
- OECS 0,00
- Slovakia 0,00
28 Unitod Kingdom 2,00
29 Niger 2,50
30 Australia 4,00
- Litnuania 4,00
32 Uruguay 4,25
33 Portugal 5,33
34 Tanzania 6,00
35 Papua Now Guinoa 9,00
36 Slovenia 9,14
37 El Salvador 9,30
38 Franoo 9,50
WORLD PRESS FREEDOM
INDEX 2012
Evolution of more than
10 ranks
Evolution of less than 10 ranks
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
75002 Paris,
Tol. : 33 1 44 83 84 56
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
presse@rsf.org
Poad moro :
www.rsf.org
Rank Country Grade
39 Spain 9,75
40 Hungary 10,00
41 Ghana 11,00
42 Soutn Arioa 12,00
- Botswana 12,00
44 Soutn Koroa 12,67
45 Comoros 13,00
- Taiwan 13,00
47 United States of America 14,00
- Argentina 14,00
- Pomania 14,00
50 Latvia 15,00
- Trinidad and Tobago 15,00
52 Haiti 15,67
53 Moldova 16,00
54 Hong-Kong 17,00
- Maurioio 17,00
- Samoa 17,00
57 Unitod Statos o Amorioa (oxtra-torritorial) 19,00
58 Malta 19,50
- Bosnia and Horzogovina 19,50
- Guyana 19,50
61 Italy 19,67
62 Contral Arioan Popublio 20,00
63 Losotno 21,00
- Siorra Loono 21,00
- Tonga 21,00
66 Mozambiquo 21,50
67 Mauritania 22,20
68 Croatia 23,33
- Burkina Faso 23,33
70 Bnutan 24,00
- Greece 24,00
72 Nioaragua 24,33
73 Maldives 25,00
- Seychelles 25,00
75 Guinoa-Bissau 26,00
- Senegal 26,00
77 Armenia 27,00
78 Kuwait 28,00
79 Togo 28,50
80 Serbia 29,00
- Bulgaria 29,00
- Chile 29,00
- Paraguay 29,00
Evolution of more than
10 ranks
Evolution of less than 10 ranks
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
75002 Paris,
Tol. : 33 1 44 83 84 56
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
presse@rsf.org
Poad moro :
www.rsf.org
Rank Country Grade
84 Konya 29,50
- Madagascar 29,50
86 Guinoa 30,00
- Kosovo 30,00
- Timor-Losto 30,00
- Zambia 30,00
90 Congo 30,38
91 Bonin 31,00
92 sraol (sraoli torritory) 31,25
93 Lobanon 31,50
94 Macedonia 31,67
95 Oominioan Popublio 33,25
96 Albania 34,44
97 Cameroon 35,00
- Guatomala 35,00
99 Brazil 35,33
100 Mongolia 35,75
101 Gabon 36,50
102 Cyprus (Nortn) 37,00
103 Chad 37,67
104 Eouador 38,00
- Georgia 38,00
106 Nepal 38,75
107 Montenegro 39,00
108 Bolivia 40,00
- Kyrgyzstan 40,00
110 Liboria 40,50
111 Soutn Sudan 41,25 nc
112 United Arab Emirates 45,00
113 Panama 45,67
114 Qatar 46,00
115 Poru 51,25
116 Ukraine 54,00
117 Cambodia 55,00
- Fi|i 55,00
- Oman 55,00
- vonozuola 55,00
- Zimbabwo 55,00
122 Algeria 56,00
- Tajikistan 56,00
- Malaysia 56,00
125 Brunoi 56,20
126 Nigeria 56,40
127 Ethiopia 56,60
128 Jordan 56,80
Evolution of more than
10 ranks
Evolution of less than 10 ranks
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
75002 Paris,
Tol. : 33 1 44 83 84 56
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
presse@rsf.org
Poad moro :
www.rsf.org
Rank Country Grade
129 Bangladosn 57,00
130 Burundi 57,75
131 India 58,00
132 Angola 58,43
133 sraol (oxtra-torritorial) 59,00
134 Tunisia 60,25
135 Singapore 61,00
- Honduras 61,00
137 Thailand 61,50
138 Morocco 63,29
139 Uganda 64,00
140 Pnilippinos 64,50
141 Gambia 65,50
142 Pussia 66,00
143 Colombia 66,50
144 Swaziland 67,00
145 Oomooratio Popublio o Congo 67,67
146 Indonesia 68,00
- Malawi 68,00
148 Turkoy 70,00
149 Mexico 72,67
150 Afghanistan 74,00
151 Pakistan 75,00
152 Iraq 75,36
153 Palostinian Torritorios 76,00
154 Kazaknstan 77,50
- Libya 77,50
156 Pwanda 81,00
157 Uzbekistan 83,00
158 Saudi Arabia 83,25
159 Coto d'voiro 83,50
- O|ibouti 83,50
161 Equatorial Guinoa 86,00
162 Azerbaijan 87,25
163 Sri Lanka 87,50
164 Somalia 88,33
165 Laos 89,00
166 Egypt 97,50
167 Cuba 98,83
168 Bolarus 99,00
169 Burma 100,00
170 Sudan 100,75
171 Yomon 101,00
172 viotnam 114,00
173 Banrain 125,00
Evolution of more than
10 ranks
Evolution of less than 10 ranks
2011-2012 World Press Freedom Index
25.01.2012
Reporters Without Borders
promotes and defends the
freedom to be informed and
to inform others throughout
the world. Based in Paris, it
nas ton intornational ohoos
(Berlin, Brussels, Geneva,
Madrid, Montreal, New York,
Stooknolm, Tunis, vionna and
Washington DC) and more than
150 oorrospondonts in all hvo
oontinonts.
47, ruo vivionno
75002 Paris,
Tol. : 33 1 44 83 84 56
Fax : 33 1 45 23 11 51
presse@rsf.org
Poad moro :
www.rsf.org
Rank Country Grade
174 China 136,00
175 Iran 136,60
176 Syria 138,00
177 Turkmonistan 140,67
178 Nortn Koroa 141,00
179 Eritrea 142,00
Evolution of more than
10 ranks
Evolution of less than 10 ranks
F
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