Reporters Without Borders

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"RWB" redirects here. For the dance company, see Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
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Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF, German: Reporter ohne Grenzen or ROG) is a Paris-based international non-governmental organization that advocates for freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985 by current Secretary General Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman (then president of Doctors Without Borders) and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud.[1]

Contents

[edit] Press freedom

RWB was founded in Montpellier in 1985. At first, the association was aimed at promoting alternative journalism, but before the failure of their project, the three founders stumbled on disagreements between themselves [1]. Finally, only Robert Ménard stayed and became its Secretary General. Ménard changed the NGO's aim towards freedom of press [1].

Reporters Without Borders states that it draws its inspiration from Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, according to which everyone has "the right to freedom of opinion and expression" and also the right to "seek, receive and impart" information and ideas "regardless of frontiers." This has been re-affirmed by several charters and declarations around the world. In Europe, this right is included in the 1950 Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Reporters Without Borders is a founding member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange, a virtual network of non-governmental organisations that monitors free expression violations worldwide and defends journalists, writers and others who are persecuted for exercising their right to freedom of expression.

In 2005, Reporters Without Borders shared the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought with Nigerian human rights lawyer Hauwa Ibrahim and Cuba's Ladies in White movement.[2]

Over the years, RWB has published several books to raise public awareness of threats to press freedom around the world. A recent publication is the Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents, [3], which was launched in September 2005. The handbook provides technical tips on how to blog anonymously and avoid censorship. It includes contributions from renowned blogger-journalists Dan Gillmor, Jay Rosen and Ethan Zuckerman.

[edit] Worldwide press freedom index

Image:Reporters Without Borders 2007 Press Freedom Rankings Map.PNG

RWB compiles and publishes an annual ranking of countries based upon the organization's assessment of their press freedom records. Small countries, such as Malta, and Andorra, are excluded from this report. The 2007 list was published on 16 October 2007.

The report is based on a questionnaire sent to partner organisations of Reporters Without Borders (14 freedom of expression groups in five continents) and its 130 correspondents around the world, as well as to journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists.[4]

The survey asks questions about direct attacks on journalists and the media as well as other indirect sources of pressure against the free press. RWB is careful to note that the index only deals with press freedom, and does not measure the quality of journalism. Due to the nature of the survey's methodology based on individual perceptions, there are often wide contrasts in a country's ranking from year to year. The ranking also states it takes into account pressure on journalists by non-governmental groups, for example the Basque terrorist group ETA in Spain or the Mafia in Russia, can pose serious threats to press freedom.

A higher index indicates more restraints on freedom of the press.


Yearly worldwide press freedom ranking of countries
published by Reporters Without Borders
Rank Country Index Notes
2007 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002
1 Image:Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland 0.75 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50
1 Image:Flag of Norway.svg Norway 0.75 2.00 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50
3 Image:Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia 1.00 2.00 1.50 2.00 2.50  
3 Image:Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia 1.00 2.50 0.75 0.50 2.50  
5 Image:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium 1.50 4.00 4.00 4.00 1.17 3.50
5 Image:Flag of Finland.svg Finland 1.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50
5 Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden 1.50 4.00 2.00 2.00 1.50 1.50
8 Image:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark 2.00 5.00 0.50 0.50 1.00 3.00
8 Image:Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland 2.00 0.50 0.50 0.50 2.83 1.00
8 Image:Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal 2.00 3.00 4.83 4.50 5.17 1.50
11 Image:Flag of Switzerland.svg Switzerland 3.00 2.50 0.50 0.50 2.50 4.25
12 Image:Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia 3.50 3.00 2.50 1.00 2.25  
12 Image:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands 3.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50
14 Image:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic 4.00 0.75 1.00 3.50 2.50 11.25
15 Image:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand 4.17 5.00 2.00 0.67 2.83  
16 Image:Flag of Austria.svg Austria 4.25 4.50 2.50 3.25 2.75 7.50
17 Image:Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary 4.50 3.00 2.00 6.00 3.33 6.50
18 Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada 4.88 4.50 4.50 3.33 1.83 0.75
19 Image:Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Trinidad and Tobago 5.00 5.00 2.00 2.00 1.00  
20 Image:Flag of Germany.svg Germany 5.75 5.50 4.00 2.00 1.33 1.50
21 Image:Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica 6.50 6.67 8.50 7.63 3.83 4.25
21 Image:Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia 6.50 3.00 1.00 2.25 3.00 4.00
23 Image:Flag of Lithuania.svg Lithuania 7.00 6.50 4.50 3.00 2.83  
24 Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 8.25 6.50 5.17 6.00 4.25 6.00
25 Image:Flag of Mauritius.svg Mauritius 8.50 8.00 7.50 10.50 7.25 9.50
25 Image:Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia 8.50 6.00 5.50 10.00 11.00 8.00
27 Image:Flag of Jamaica.svg Jamaica 8.63 5.50 7.50 4.17 3.33  
28 Image:Flag of Australia.svg Australia 8.79 9.00 6.50 9.50 9.25 3.50
29 Image:Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana 9.00 8.50 15.00 13.50 8.75 23.00
30 Image:Flag of Greece.svg Greece 9.25 8.00 4.00 7.00 6.00 5.00
31 Image:Flag of France.svg France 9.75 9.00 6.25 3.50 4.17 3.25
32 Image:Flag of the Republic of China.svg Republic of China (Taiwan) 10.00 10.50 12.25 14.25 12.00 9.00
33 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Spain 10.25 10.00 8.33 9.00 7.67 7.75
34 Image:Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia and Herzegovina 11.17 5.00 7.00 3.67 6.83 12.50
35 Image:Flag of Italy.svg Italy 11.25 9.90 8.67 9.00 9.75 11.00
36 Image:Flag of Macedonia.svg Republic of Macedonia 11.50 11.50 8.75 11.25 9.67  
37 Image:Flag of Japan.svg Japan 11.75 12.50 8.00 10.00 8.00 7.50
37 Image:Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay 11.75 13.75 9.75 10.00 4.00 6.00
  Image:Flag of Grenada.svg Grenada       12.00    
39 Image:Flag of Chile.svg Chile 12.13 11.63 11.75 10.00 6.83 6.50
39 Image:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea 12.13 7.75 7.50 11.13 9.17 10.50
41 Image:Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia 12.50 13.00 12.83 11.83 16.50 8.75
42 Image:Flag of Romania.svg Romania 12.75 14.00 16.17 17.83 11.50 13.25
43 Image:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa 13.00 11.25 6.50 5.00 3.33 7.50
44 Image:Flag of Israel.svg Israel (Israeli territory) 13.25 12.00 10.00 8.00 8.00 30.00
45 Image:Flag of Cape Verde.svg Cape Verde 14.00 11.50 6.00 8.75 8.25 13.75
45 Image:Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus 14.00 7.50 5.50 22.00 20.83   pre-2005 data included Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
47 Image:Flag of Nicaragua.svg Nicaragua 14.25 15.50 15.25 11.67 6.50  
48 Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States 14.50 13.00 9.50 4.00 6.00 4.75
49 Image:Flag of Togo.svg Togo 15.17 15.00 23.75 19.50 27.50 31.50
50 Image:Flag of Mauritania.svg Mauritania 15.50 17.50 40.00 51.00 36.67 41.33
51 Image:Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria 16.25 9.00 10.25 8.00 6.50 9.75
52 Image:Flag of Mali.svg Mali 16.50 9.00 8.00 12.83 11.00 12.50
53 Image:Flag of Benin.svg Benin 17.00 5.50 5.50 5.50 5.25 6.00
54 Image:Flag of Panama.svg Panama 17.88 9.50 15.00 14.50 9.75 15.50
55 Image:Flag of Tanzania.svg Tanzania 18.00 19.82 17.50 14.50 16.50 21.25
56 Image:Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador 18.50 15.25 21.75 16.50 7.67 5.50
56 Image:Flag of Poland.svg Poland 18.50 14.00 12.50 6.83 6.17 7.75
58 Image:Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus 19.00 14.50 12.50 22.00 20.83   pre-2005 data included Cyprus
58 Image:Flag of Montenegro.svg Montenegro 19.00 11.50 14.83 20.13 21.33 20.75 pre-2007 data from Serbia and Montenegro
60 Image:Flag of the United Nations.svg Kosovo 19.75 16.00 25.75 20.13 21.33 20.75 pre-2005 data from Serbia and Montenegro
61 Image:Flag of Hong Kong.svg Hong Kong 20.00 14.00 8.25 7.50 11.00 4.83
61 Image:Flag of Madagascar.svg Madagascar 20.00 15.00 24.50 18.50 8.17 22.75
63 Image:Flag of Kuwait.svg Kuwait 20.17 17.00 21.25 31.67 31.33 25.50
64 Image:Flag of El Salvador.svg El Salvador 20.20 10.00 5.75 6.00 6.83 8.75
65 Image:Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg United Arab Emirates 20.25 17.50 25.75 50.25 37.00  
66 Image:Flag of Georgia.svg Georgia 20.83 21.00 25.17 27.50 17.33  
67 Image:Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia 21.00 11.50 14.83 20.13 21.33 20.75 pre-2007 data from Serbia and Montenegro
68 Image:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia 21.50 4.50 9.67 20.00 9.67 14.50
68 Image:Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso 21.50 16.00 19.00 16.25 18.00 27.75
68 Image:Flag of Zambia.svg Zambia 21.50 22.50 23.00 29.75 23.25 26.75
71 Image:Flag of the Central African Republic.svg Central African Republic 22.50 14.50 19.75 32.50 32.75 21.50
72 Image:Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Dominican Republic 22.75 12.75 12.25 6.75 17.00  
73 Image:Flag of Mozambique.svg Mozambique 23.00 11.50 10.50 16.25 14.00 23.50
74 Image:Flag of Mongolia.svg Mongolia 23.40 19.25 12.50 19.00 18.25 24.50
75 Image:Flag of Botswana.svg Botswana 23.50 13.00 14.00 11.50 13.00  
75 Image:Flag of Haiti.svg Haiti 23.50 19.50 33.50 42.13 31.00 36.50
77 Image:Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia 23.63 25.50 26.00 23.50 25.17  
78 Image:Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya 23.75 30.25 30.00 22.25 18.50 24.75
79 Image:Flag of Qatar.svg Qatar 24.00 18.00 23.00 32.50 35.00  
80 Image:Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg Republic of the Congo 24.50 17.00 17.00 17.50 14.00 23.17
81 Image:Flag of Moldova.svg Moldova 24.75 19.17 17.50 20.50 27.00  
82 Image:Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina 24.83 17.30 13.67 21.33 15.17 12.00
83 Image:Flag of Senegal.svg Senegal 25.00 17.50 19.00 21.50 14.50 14.00
84 Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil 25.25 17.17 14.50 16.50 16.75 18.75
85 Image:Flag of Cambodia.svg Cambodia 25.33 27.25 23.00 36.50 19.50 24.25
85 Image:Flag of Liberia.svg Liberia 25.33 19.00 20.50 40.00 40.00 37.75
87 Image:Flag of Albania.svg Albania 25.50 18.00 14.17 11.50 6.50  
87 Image:Flag of Honduras.svg Honduras 25.50 14.50 18.00 11.75 14.17  
87 Image:Flag of Niger.svg Niger 25.50 24.50 13.00 18.33 15.75 18.50
90 Image:Flag of Paraguay.svg Paraguay 26.10 18.25 15.50 10.50 7.17 8.50
91 Image:Flag of Angola.svg Angola 26.50 21.50 18.00 26.50 28.00 30.17
92 Image:Flag of Malawi.svg Malawi 26.75 25.50 22.75 31.00 21.00 27.67
92 Image:Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine 26.75 26.50 32.50 51.00 40.00 40.00
94 Image:Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Côte d'Ivoire 27.00 25.00 52.25 60.38 42.17 19.00
94 Image:Flag of East Timor.svg Timor-Leste 27.00 18.50 13.50 13.50 5.50  
96 Image:Flag of the Comoros.svg Comoros 28.00 22.50 22.00 26.50 18.50 20.50
96 Image:Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda 28.00 29.83 19.25 24.00 25.75 17.00
98 Image:Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon 28.75 27.00 28.25 24.38 32.50 19.67
99 Image:Flag of Lesotho.svg Lesotho 29.50 16.00 19.50 29.50 17.75  
100 Image:Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia 30.50 26.00 26.00 37.75 34.25 20.00
101 Image:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey 31.25 25.00 25.00 37.25 35.00 33.50
102 Image:Flag of Gabon.svg Gabon 31.50 28.50 26.00 37.50 31.25 20.50
103 Image:Flag of Israel.svg Israel (extra-territorial) 32.00 47.00   37.50 49.00  
104 Image:Flag of Guatemala.svg Guatemala 33.00 21.25 21.50 16.50 30.83 27.25
104 Image:Flag of the Seychelles.svg Seychelles 33.00 24.50 17.00 23.50 26.75 20.75
106 Image:Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco 33.25 24.83 36.17 43.00 39.67 29.00
107 Image:Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji 33.50 14.00 14.00 16.00 11.50  
107 Image:Flag of Guinea.svg Guinea 33.50 27.50 26.00 24.50 33.17 26.00
107 Image:Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg Guinea-Bissau 33.50 14.50 17.00 23.50 35.25 30.25
110 Image:Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg Kyrgyzstan 33.60 34.00 32.00 35.25 32.00 31.75
111 Image:Flag of Cameroon.svg Cameroon 36.00 28.25 20.50 27.00 30.50 28.83
111 Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States (extra-territorial) 36.00 31.50 48.50 36.00 41.00  
113 Image:Flag of Chad.svg Chad 36.50 35.50 30.00 33.25 24.00 28.75
114 Image:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela 36.88 29.00 23.00 24.63 27.83 25.00
115 Image:Flag of Tajikistan.svg Tajikistan 37.00 30.00 33.00 27.75 34.50 28.25
116 Image:Flag of Bhutan.svg Bhutan 37.17 25.00 51.50 55.83 77.33 90.75
117 Image:Flag of Peru.svg Peru 37.38 28.25 33.33 40.00 10.25 9.50
118 Image:Flag of Bahrain.svg Bahrain 38.00 28.00 38.75 52.50 35.17 23.00
  Image:Flag of Brunei.svg Brunei           38.00
119 Image:Flag of Tonga.svg Tonga 38.25 13.00 14.50 38.17    
120 Image:Flag of India.svg India 39.33 26.50 27.00 38.50 39.00 26.50
121 Image:Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone 39.50 26.00 39.50 24.50 23.50 24.50
122 Image:Flag of Jordan.svg Jordan 40.21 27.50 24.00 39.13 37.00 33.50
123 Image:Flag of Algeria.svg Algeria 40.50 40.00 40.33 43.50 33.00 31.00
124 Image:Flag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia 41.00 22.25 33.00 39.83 32.00 37.83
125 Image:Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan 41.63 41.00 36.17 44.17 42.50 42.00
126 Image:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia 42.33 44.75 40.17 47.38 49.17 40.83
127 Image:Flag of Burundi.svg Burundi 43.40 39.83        
128 Image:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines 44.75 51.00 50.00 36.63 35.25 29.00
129 Image:Flag of Maldives.svg Maldives 45.17 51.25 58.50 69.17 47.50  
130 Image:Flag of The Gambia.svg Gambia 48.25 54.00 41.00 29.50 18.25 22.50
131 Image:Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria 49.83 32.23 38.75 37.75 31.50 15.50
132 Image:Flag of Djibouti.svg Djibouti 50.25 33.00 37.00 55.00 35.50 31.25
133 Image:Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Democratic Republic of the Congo 50.50 51.00 57.33 51.50 38.50 40.75
134 Image:Flag of Bangladesh.svg Bangladesh 53.17 48.00 61.25 62.50 46.50 43.75
135 Image:Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand 53.50 33.50 28.00 14.00 19.67 22.75
136 Image:Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico 53.63 45.83 45.50 27.83 17.67 24.75
137 Image:Flag of Nepal.svg Nepal 53.75 73.50 86.75 84.00 51.50 63.00
138 Image:Flag of Swaziland.svg Swaziland 54.50 40.50 35.00 31.00 37.50 29.00
139 Image:Flag of Azerbaijan.svg Azerbaijan 55.40 47.00 51.00 49.67 34.50 34.50
140 Image:Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan 55.75 48.13 44.00 44.25 45.75 36.00
141 Image:Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore 56.00 51.50 50.67 57.00 47.33  
142 Image:Flag of Afghanistan.svg Afghanistan 56.50 44.25 39.17 28.25 40.17 35.50
143 Image:Flag of Yemen.svg Yemen 56.67 54.00 46.25 48.00 41.83 34.75
144 Image:Flag of Russia.svg Russia 56.90 52.50 48.67 51.38 49.50 48.00
145 Image:Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia 57.00 53.75 57.50 62.67 50.83 67.75
  Image:Flag of Oman.svg Oman         57.75  
146 Image:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt 58.00 46.25 52.00 43.50 34.25 34.50
147 Image:Flag of Rwanda.svg Rwanda 58.88 41.00 38.00 37.25 34.25 37.50
148 Image:Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia 59.75 76.00 66.00 79.17 71.50 62.50
149 Image:Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Zimbabwe 62.00 50.00 64.25 67.50 45.50 48.25
150 Image:Flag of Ethiopia.svg Ethiopia 63.00 75.00 42.00 37.00 37.50 37.50
151 Image:Flag of Belarus.svg Belarus 63.63 57.00 61.33 54.10 52.00 52.17
152 Image:Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan 64.83 70.33 60.75 61.75 39.00 44.67
153 Image:Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg Equatorial Guinea 65.25 48.00 44.00 46.25 44.75 42.75
154 Image:Flag of Syria.svg Syria 66.00 63.00 55.00 67.50 67.50 62.83
155 Image:Flag of Libya.svg Libya 66.50 62.50 88.75 65.00 60.00 72.50
156 Image:Flag of Sri Lanka.svg Sri Lanka 67.50 50.75 33.25 36.50 24.83 15.75
157 Image:Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq 67.83 66.83 67.00 58.50 37.50 79.00
158 Image:Flag of Palestine.svg Palestinian Authority 69.83 46.75 42.50 43.17 39.25 27.00
159 Image:Flag of Somalia.svg Somalia 71.50 51.25 59.00 43.50 45.00  
160 Image:Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Uzbekistan 74.88 71.00 66.50 52.13 61.50 45.00
161 Image:Flag of Laos.svg Laos 75.00 67.50 66.50 64.33 94.83 89.00
162 Image:Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam 79.25 67.25 73.25 86.88 89.17 81.25
163 Image:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg People's Republic of China (mainland only) 89.00 94.00 83.00 92.33 91.25 97.00
164 Image:Flag of Myanmar.svg Myanmar 93.75 94.75 88.83 103.63 95.50 96.83
165 Image:Flag of Cuba.svg Cuba 96.17 95.00 87.00 106.83 97.83 90.25
166 Image:Flag of Iran.svg Iran 96.50 90.88 89.17 78.30 89.33 48.25
167 Image:Flag of Turkmenistan.svg Turkmenistan 103.75 98.50 93.50 99.83 82.83 91.50
168 Image:Flag of North Korea.svg North Korea 108.75 109.00 109.00 107.50 99.50 97.50
169 Image:Flag of Eritrea.svg Eritrea 114.75 97.50 99.75 93.25 91.50 83.67

[edit] Funding

Some funding (19% of total) comes from North American and European governments and organisations, among them the American National Endowment for Democracy (NED).[5][6] According to RWB president Robert Ménard, the donations from the French government account for 4,8% of RWB's budget; the total amount of governmental aid being 11% of its budget (including money from the French government, the OSCE, UNESCO and the Organisation internationale de la francophonie).[7] Furthermore RWB receives funding from various private donors, such as the Soros Foundation and the Center for a Free Cuba.[8] Furthermore, Saatchi & Saatchi has realized various communication campaigns of RWB for free (for instance, concerning censorship in Algeria [9]).

Daniel Junqua, the vice-president of the French section of RWB (and also vice-president of the NGO Les Amis du Monde diplomatique), has stated that the NED's funding does not compromise RWB's impartiality.[7]

[edit] Controversy and Campaigns

[edit] Robert Ménard on torture

In an interview with France Culture, whilst speaking about the case of the kidnapped journalist Daniel Pearl, RWB president Robert Ménard discussed the use of torture.[10] Menard told France Culture:

“ Where do we stop? Shall we accept this logic that consists of… since we could do it in some cases, ‘you kidnap, we kidnap; you mistreat, we mistreat; you torture, we torture …?

What justifies…? Perhaps in order to free somebody, can we go there? It is a real question.

That is real life, it is that, what François just said: we are no longer in ideas, it is war, we are no longer dealing with principals. I don’t what to think. Because this happens to Marianne Pearl, I’m not saying, I’m not saying that they made a mistake because she thought that it was appropriate to do it, that it was necessary to do that, that her husband had to be saved, she was pregnant… for the sake of the baby that was going to be born, everything was permitted.

And it was absolutely necessary to save him and if it was necessary to attack a certain number of people, they had to attack a certain number of people, physically attack them, you understand, threatening them and torturing them, even though we might have to kill some.

I don’t know, I am lost. Because sometimes I don’t know where you have to stop, where you have to put on the brakes. What is acceptable and what is unacceptable? And at the same time, for the families of those that were kidnapped, because many times they are the people we talk to first, in Reporters without Borders; legitimately, I, if my daughter were kidnapped there would be no limit, I tell you, I tell you, there would be no limit on torture.[11]

”

[edit] Cuba

Tensions between Cuban authorities and RWB are high, particularly after the imprisonment in 2003 of 75 dissidents (27 journalists) by the Cuban Government, including Raúl Rivero and Oscar Elías Biscet. RWB describes the Cuban regime as "totalitarian" and engages in direct campaigning against Castro's regime. [12] RWB has been described as an "ultra-reactionary" organization by the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, Granma.[12]

Lucie Morillon, RWB's Washington representative, confirmed in an interview on 29 April, 2005 that the organization receives money from the Washington-based Center for a Free Cuba ($50,000 in 2004), and that a contract with the US State Department's Special Envoy to the Western Hemisphere, Otto Reich, requires them to inform Europeans about repression against journalists in Cuba. However, the organisation has denied that its campaigning on the issue of Cuba - in declarations on radio and television, full-page ads in Parisian dailies, posters, leafletting at airports, and an April 2003 occupation of the Cuban tourism office in Paris - were related to the payments.[13] 1.3% of total funding came from this source.[14]

A Paris court (tribunal de grande instance) ordered RWB to pay 6,000 Euros to the daughter and heir of Alberto Korda for non-compliance with a court order of 9 July 2003 banning it from using Korda’s famous (and copyrighted) photograph of Ernesto "Che" Guevara in a beret, taken at the funeral of La Coubre victims. RWB said it was "relieved" it was not given a harsher sentence.[12][15] The face had been superimposed by RSF with that of a May 1968 CRS anti-riot police agent, and the postcard handed out at Orly Airport in Paris to tourists boarding on flights for Cuba. Korda's daughter declared to Granma that "Reporters Without Borders should call themselves Reporters Without Principles."[16] Headed by Robert Ménard, RWB also burst into the Cuban Tourism Office in Paris on 4 April, 2003, obstructing the running of the office for nearly four hours.[17][18] On April 24, 2003, RWB organized a demonstration outside the Cuban embassy in Paris.[17]. According to Cuban diplomats cited by Granma, Orlando Gutiérrez, founder of the Cuban Democratic Office in Miami, received over one million USD from USAID to promote subversion on the island and coordinate plans with RWB.[19]

RWB claims it has been the target of hostility from the Cuban authorities since the arrest of 75 dissidents in March 2003. Cuba’s representatives have called for the withdrawal of its consultative status with the United Nations. RWB lost its UN approved NGO status for one year in July 2003 at the request of Cuba and Libya, as a result of protests against Libya receiving the chairmanship of the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva, during the committee's opening session.[20]

[edit] Haiti

The online newsletter CounterPunch criticised RWB's reporting of press freedom in Haiti during and after Jean-Bertrand Aristide's presidency, arguing that it was biased.[21]

[edit] Venezuela

Le Monde diplomatique has criticized RWB's attitude towards Hugo Chávez's government in Venezuela, in particular during the 2002 coup attempt.[22] In a right of reply, Robert Ménard declared that RWB had also condemned the support of RCTV to the coup attempt.[7]

[edit] Philippines

On August 23, 2007, RWB condemned the continuing threats and violence against Philippine radio commentators who report on organized crime and corruption, following a death threat on RGMA Palawan station manager Lily Uy.[23]On December 27, 2007, RSF appealed to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration to forthwith arrest the killers of radio broadcaster Ferdinand Lintuan, 51, the 5th journalist killed on 2007 in the Philippines. As first president of the Davao Association of Sports Journalists he was murdered in Davao City on December 24.[24]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Reporters sans frontières, RFO, 6 November 2006 (French)
  2. ^ European Parliament. Ladies, Ibrahim and Reporters joint Sakharov prize winners
  3. ^ http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=542
  4. ^ Reporters Without Borders. How the index was compiled
  5. ^ Income and expenditure
  6. ^ Z Magazine. The Reporters Without Borders Fraud
  7. ^ a b c Daniel Junqua, Reporters sans frontières, Le Monde diplomatique, August 2007 (French)
  8. ^ http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=22503
  9. ^ Atteintes à la liberté de la presse en Algérie, El Watan, 11 June 2005 (French)
  10. ^ Jean-Noël Darde, Quand Robert Ménard, de RSF, légitime la torture, Rue 89, 26 August 2007 (French)
  11. ^ [1] Reporters without Borders, follows in Washington’s steps and legitimizes torture, Global Research, September 21, 2007
  12. ^ a b c Reporters Without Borders ordered to pay 6,000 euros to Korda’s heir over use of Che photo, RSF, March 10 2004
  13. ^ CounterPunch Reporters Without Borders Unmasked
  14. ^ Reporters Without BordersIncome and expenditure
  15. ^ "RSF y la foto del "Che"", BBC, 2004-03-11. (Spanish) 
  16. ^ Pedro de La Hoz, Ménard trasquilado - Tribunal francés prohíbe utilización espuria de imagen del Che en campaña mediática anticubana, Granma, 11 July 2003 (Spanish)
  17. ^ a b Quand Castro disparaîtra, France 5 (French)
  18. ^ Reporters sans frontières (2) - mobiliser médias et opinion, presentation of RWB by its delegate in Alsace, Corinne Cumerlato (French)
  19. ^ Reporteros Sin Fronteras - Campaña para propiciar agresión a la Isla - Denuncian diplomáticos cubanos, Granma, 9 July 2003 (Spanish)
  20. ^ Reporters Without Borders suspended for one year from UN commission on human rights, Reporters Without Borders, 24 July 2003 (English) (URL accessed on 9 August 2007)
  21. ^ CounterPunch. Reporters Without Borders and Washington's Coups
  22. ^ Maurice Lemoine, Coups d’Etat sans frontières, Le Monde diplomatique, August 2002 (French) (Portuguese translation)
  23. ^ GMA NEWS.TV, Int'l groups slam attacks against broadcasters
  24. ^ Abs-Cbn Interactive, RSF calls for immediate arrest of Lintuan killers

[edit] See also

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