The post photo’s of Reporters Without Borders. The Berlin-based and international non-governmental organization lobbies worldwide for press freedom and against censorship. The parent organization, Reporters sans frontières RSF, was founded in 1985 in southern France, Montpellier, by four French journalists. Citing Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (right to freedom of opinion and freedom of expression), the organization is engaged among others, for imprisoned journalists, held by political reasons. This is increasingly more explosive, because what is already a democracy without the possibility of free expression of one’s opinion?

The ROG recently released a Press Freedom Index 2016 which raises questions, as in all regions of the world, a decline of freedom was identified last year. Increasingly autocratic tendencies in countries like Egypt, Russia or Turkey wore this trend also in how the armed conflicts as in Libya, Burundi and Yemen. Negative seem also the efforts of the governments act out in countries such as Poland and Hungary, bringing public and private media under their grip.

“Many leaders react paranoid to legitimate criticism by independent journalists,” said Reporters Without Borders CEO Michael Rediske. Among the threats to the independent reporting includes media hostile, often religiously tinted ideologies and repressive security laws. Many countries have enacted laws that allow journalists about can be sent to prison for allegedly insulting President, blasphemy or support of terrorist groups. another danger would of oligarchs, the media want to exploit in their possession for their political or economic purposes.

GERMANY has deteriorated in this year’s ranking by four Places down to the 16th – a consequence of the sharp rise in number of hostility, threats and violent attacks against journalists.

The Press Freedom Index 2016 compares the situation of journalists and media in 180 countries and territories. Examines the calendar year was substantially 2015. Fundamentals of rankings are a questionnaire on all aspects of independent journalism and the values determined by ROG numbers of assaults, violence and prison sentences against journalists. This results in each country point values that determine the ranking in the ranking in relation to the values of other countries. Depending on the performance of other countries, a country can therefore move up in each individual case in the rankings, although its score has deteriorated.

Important climbers and losers

Biggest losers in the ranking 2016 TAJIKISTAN (Course 150, -34) and BRUNEI (155, -34). In Tajikistan, President Emomali Rahmon makes under the pretext of combating terrorism silence critics. In Brunei increasing self-censorship in the face of the gradual introduction of sharia and a Blasphemieverbots. POLAND plunged 29 places to 47 from a series of targeted efforts of the new government to limit the independence of the public media and private media ≥repolonisieren “.

Biggest movers is TUNISIA (96, +30), which despite all the continuing deficits the fruits of media reforms start to harvest since upheaval of 2011th Violence and lawsuits against journalists are there still a problem, but decline in the trend. The UKRAINE (107) is due to significantly reduced previous violence 22 seats placed higher against journalists and overdue reforms, but continues to suffer from problems such as the overpowering role of oligarchs for the media landscape and the information war with Russia.

PRESS FREEDOM IN EUROPE

Last year, an investigation launched already in 2014 Erosion of European leading role in press freedom continued. Laws against terrorism and espionage were misused to restrict freedom of rights, passed laws for mass digital surveillance. Public and private media sometimes also came under increasing pressure.
A growing threat to journalistic independence goes out in some European countries by big business, not only catching more and more media, but also pursue other business interests. So in France (45, -7) now, most private media are of national importance a few entrepreneurs whose economic interests lie mainly in other sectors. In BULGARIA (113, -7) politicians and oligarchs control most of the media; also accepts violence against journalists.
Violence and hostility to death threats against journalists have increased in GERMANY (16, -4) in 2015 massively. Overall Reporters Without Borders counted at least 39 violent attacks against journalists particularly during demonstrations of Pegida movement and its regional subsidiary, at rallies of right-wing groups or counter-demonstrations. (More on the state of press freedom in this country in the UP GERMANY provided soon on the ROG’s website to download.)
Even in SWEDEN (8, -3), which is traditionally one of the countries with the most pronounced press freedom, sue on signs of stronger nationalist flow frightening many journalists over threats. Violence against journalists is also in Croatia (63, -5) and SERBIA (59, +8) an ongoing problem. In HUNGARY (67, -2) defines and monitors now a controlled by the government Media Council compliance with official decency “.
In TURKEY (151, -2) government and judiciary were not least massively dominated by the flared up again conflict with the Kurds against critical media before. Repeats messages barriers were imposed, invaded editorial offices or placed under state receivership, foreign reporters arrested and coated critical journalists with lawsuits. There were also assassinations of several Syrian media activist who fled to Turkey.

RUSSIA improved its rank (148, +4) only relative to the deterioration in his environment. Indeed, the persecution of critics has continued to increase there and shines now as a negative model to neighboring countries from. Most recently, for example, several foreign publishers were forced because of new restrictions its shares in Russian media for sale. Under increasing pressure are also non-governmental organizations committed to media freedom. Always undisguised Russia tried to influence the coverage abroad.
Nebulous dangers for the state to serve as a justification for ever harsher repression against the few remaining independent journalists in UZBEKISTAN (166, unchanged), KAZAKHSTAN (160, unchanged), AZERBAIJAN (163, -1) and BELARUS (157, unchanged), whose want to prevent regime protests due to the economic crisis and protests as 2013/2014 on the Kiev Maidan.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

In the Middle East and North Africa Journalists are many places in the terminal between the warring parties, extremely repressive governments and extremists who want to prevent any independent coverage. The worst in the region was the situation like in the past four years in SYRIA (177, unchanged), where journalists targeted and partly bestial violence are exposed. Extremism, tottering political orders and impunity for acts of violence make journalism in IRAQ (158, -2), in LIBYA (164, -10) and the YEMEN (170, -2) to a perilous profession.
In other countries in the region, although there is a formal peace, but in practice, especially the police state. In EGYPT (159, -1) as sitting more than 20 journalists because of their work in prison, many of them for two years or longer. Many are abused and tortured judged if at all in the absurd mass trials. ALGERIA (129, -10) its word with the closure of two TV stations, KUWAIT (103, -13) with the adoption of a dubious law against cybercrime.
Besides Tunisia are in the region of LEBANON (98, unchanged) and Israel (101, unchanged) the highest placed.

ASIA

In Asia, the situation in most countries has stagnated or deteriorated, including in democracies that previously were regarded as regional models. So engages in JAPAN (72, -11) since the adoption of a far-reaching secret Protection Act late 2014 increasingly self-censorship around. In SOUTH KOREA (70, -10), the government is increasingly intolerant of criticism and exacerbated the already strong polarization of the media. In HONG KONG (69, +1) acquisitions provide by businessmen from China increasing the independence of the media in question.
In CHINA (176, unchanged), the repression achieved under President Xi Jinping unimagined proportions. The regime shrinks neither abduction nor against forced confessions show on TV or in front of threats against families unwelcome journalists to enforce his absolute claim control over the media.
In MYANMAR (143, +1) now the boundaries of the opening rate are clearly visible, as well as to the PHILIPPINES (138, +3) the ineffectiveness of measures to better protect journalists. INDIA (133, +3) and BANGLADESH (144, +2) are in view of serious acts of violence against media workers remained largely idle. For journalists in SRI LANKA (141, +24) disappears after the end of the era of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the fear of threatening phone calls or enforced disappearances.