Nelly Bassily | April 28, 2014
Every year, 500 journalists are arrested, 1,000 assaulted or threatened, and more than 500 media outlets censored. These violations have serious consequences which must be tracked in order to better address them.
Reporters Without Borders (RWB) is an organization which operates in two highly specialized spheres of activity: one focused on Internet censorship and the new media, and the other devoted to providing material, financial and psychological assistance to journalists working in dangerous areas. RWB releases an annual report on global press freedom and the threats to journalists: theWorld Press Freedom Index.
The 2014 World Press Freedom Index spotlights the negative impact of violent conflicts on both freedom of information and on those responsible for instigating the conflicts.
The report notes that some countries may be interpreting the need for national security in an overly broad manner, to the detriment of the right to inform and be informed. This global trend is even endangering freedom of information in countries regarded as democracies.
This year’s report covers 180 countries, one more than last year.
An overview is available at this link: https://rsf.org/index2014/en-index2014.php.The report is divided into continents, and you can read the Africa section here: https://rsf.org/index2014/en-africa.php