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Thursday, May 3, 2012
SRI LANKA RANKED LOW ON PRESS FREEDOM
May 3, 2012
Freedom House, a United States- based non-governmental organisation that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, has ranked Sri Lanka 161 out of 197 countries in terms of Press freedom in its report for 2012.
Sri Lanka was tied with Burundi with a rating of 72 with a “not free” status.
Freedom House placed the U.S. at 22, tied with Estonia and Jamaica with an 18 point score. (0 is the best on the scale.)
The top spot is occupied by Finland, Norway and Sweden with ratings of 10.
The country was tied with Russia and Azerbaijan with a rating of 80 with a “not free” status.Last year, Zimbabwe was ranked 173 alongside Gambia, Congo and Russia.
According to Freedom House’s report titled Global Press Freedom Ranking 2012, Zimbabwe only moved one place up the ladder.
The top spot is occupied by Finland, Norway and Sweden with ratings of 10. Meanwhile, the Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (BPRA) yesterday said there was need for the inclusive government to take steps to guarantee Press freedom.
“The citizens and residents of Zimbabwe continue to bear the brunt of a highly restrictive media landscape that ostracises, harasses and prosecutes journalists for criticising politicians, the government and other powerful groups,” said BPRA programmes and advocacy manager Emmanuel Ndlovu.
“BPRA believes journalists and media organisations should be allowed to exercise their duties without restrictions in the interests of democracy and good governance.”
Zimbabwe Union of Journalists president Dumisani Sibanda called for the opening of the airwaves to ensure media freedom in the country.
“Government and relevant authorities should make reforms that allow introduction of diverse radio stations. We need diverse and transparent ways of dealing with the media. This means there should be more community radio stations.”
Sibanda said “archaic” laws such as criminal defamation needed to be dropped as they were often used to persecute media practitioners.
Last year, journalists like The Standard editor Nevanji Madanhire and reporter Nqaba Matshazi, were arrested for defamation.
According to Freedom House’s report titled Global Press Freedom Ranking 2012, Zimbabwe only moved one place up the ladder.
The top spot is occupied by Finland, Norway and Sweden with ratings of 10. Meanwhile, the Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (BPRA) yesterday said there was need for the inclusive government to take steps to guarantee Press freedom.
“The citizens and residents of Zimbabwe continue to bear the brunt of a highly restrictive media landscape that ostracises, harasses and prosecutes journalists for criticising politicians, the government and other powerful groups,” said BPRA programmes and advocacy manager Emmanuel Ndlovu.
“BPRA believes journalists and media organisations should be allowed to exercise their duties without restrictions in the interests of democracy and good governance.”
Zimbabwe Union of Journalists president Dumisani Sibanda called for the opening of the airwaves to ensure media freedom in the country.
“Government and relevant authorities should make reforms that allow introduction of diverse radio stations. We need diverse and transparent ways of dealing with the media. This means there should be more community radio stations.”
Sibanda said “archaic” laws such as criminal defamation needed to be dropped as they were often used to persecute media practitioners.
Last year, journalists like The Standard editor Nevanji Madanhire and reporter Nqaba Matshazi, were arrested for defamation.
Release of "Freedom of the Press 2012" Findings
Watch Karin Deutsch Karlekar discuss key findings from the report:
Freedom House released the findings of Freedom of the Press 2012, its annual press freedom survey, at a press conference held in front of the World Press Freedom map at the Newseum.
FREEDOM HOUSE
David Kramer, president of Freedom House, and Karin Deutsch Karlekar, project director for theFreedom of the Press survey, highlighted key developments in global press freedom over the last year, including the ramifications of the Arab Spring. Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya all showed significant improvements in terms of press freedom. Other countries, including Bahrain and Syria, cracked down on media in an attempt to quell Arab Spring protest movements. Despite harsh crackdowns in authoritarian states, global media freedom did not experience an overall decline for the first time in eight years. However, due to downgrades in previously “Free” countries, the percentage of the world's population living in countries with a free press has fallen to the lowest level in over a decade.
David Kramer, president of Freedom House, and Karin Deutsch Karlekar, project director for theFreedom of the Press survey, highlighted key developments in global press freedom over the last year, including the ramifications of the Arab Spring. Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya all showed significant improvements in terms of press freedom. Other countries, including Bahrain and Syria, cracked down on media in an attempt to quell Arab Spring protest movements. Despite harsh crackdowns in authoritarian states, global media freedom did not experience an overall decline for the first time in eight years. However, due to downgrades in previously “Free” countries, the percentage of the world's population living in countries with a free press has fallen to the lowest level in over a decade.
See photos here.FREEDOM HOUSE
Watch Karin Deutsch Karlekar discuss key findings from the report:
ISSUES:
