U.S. ranks 53rd in press freedom index
{{date|October 29, 2006}}

[[w:Reporters Without Borders|Reporters Without Borders]], a media advocacy group out of Paris, has released its Worldwide Press Freedom Index for 2006. The most free countries are [[Finland]], [[Iceland]], [[Ireland]], and the [[Netherlands]]. The least free, ranking 168th, is [[North Korea]], whose media is completely controlled by leader [[w:Kim Jong-il|Kim Jong-il]].

The [[United States]] ranks 53rd equal with other countries: [[Botswana]], [[Croatia]], and [[Tonga]], slipping nine places from last year. The US was in 17th place when the Index was first released in 2002. US press rights violations cited by Reporters Without Borders include [[w:al-Jazeera|al-Jazeera]] cameraman [[w:Sami al-Haj|Sami al-Haj]], who has been held without trial in [[w:Guantanamo Bay detention camp|Guantanamo Bay]] since June 2002, and the imprisonment of [[w:Josh Wolf (journalist)|Josh Wolf]], a freelance journalist who refused to turn over footage of a protest to a grand jury.

Reporters Without Borders compiles its Press Freedom Index by "assessing the state of press freedom in each country ... such as murders, imprisonment, physical attacks and threats ... censorship, confiscation of issues, searches and harassment." It does not judge the quality of the press.

== Sources ==

*{{source|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2019160,00.html
|title=Press freedom in US slips
|author=
|pub=News24
|date=October 24, 2006}}

== External links ==

*{{source|url=http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19388
|title=North Korea, Turkmenistan, Eritrea the worst violators of press freedom
|author=
|pub=Reporters Without Borders
|date=}}
*{{source|url=http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19391
|title=How the index was compiled
|author=
|pub=Reporters Without Borders
|date=}}

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{{Archived}}
[[Category:Journalism]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Finland]]
[[Category:Iceland]]
[[Category:Ireland]]
[[Category:Netherlands]]
[[Category:Botswana]]
[[Category:Croatia]]
[[Category:Tonga]]
[[Category:North Korea]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Oceania]]
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Kim Jong-il]]
[[Category:Korean Peninsula]]
[[Category:Free speech]]
[[Category:Reporters Without Borders]]
[[Category:Polynesia]]

[[fr:Classement mondial de la liberté de la presse : la France perd des points]]
[[ru:Репортёры без границ опубликовали индекс свободы прессы 2006]]
Reporters Without Borders, a media advocacy group out of Paris, has released its Worldwide Press Freedom Index for 2006. The most free countries are Finland, Iceland, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The least free, ranking 168th, is North Korea, whose media is completely controlled by leader Kim Jong-il.

The United States ranks 53rd equal with other countries: Botswana, Croatia, and Tonga, slipping nine places from last year. The US was in 17th place when the Index was first released in 2002. US press rights violations cited by Reporters Without Borders include al-Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Haj, who has been held without trial in Guantanamo Bay since June 2002, and the imprisonment of Josh Wolf, a freelance journalist who refused to turn over footage of a protest to a grand jury.

Reporters Without Borders compiles its Press Freedom Index by "assessing the state of press freedom in each country ... such as murders, imprisonment, physical attacks and threats ... censorship, confiscation of issues, searches and harassment." It does not judge the quality of the press.

fr:Classement mondial de la liberté de la presse : la France perd des points
Journalism Politics and conflicts United States Finland Iceland Ireland Netherlands Botswana Croatia Tonga North Korea North America Europe Africa Oceania Asia Kim Jong-il Korean Peninsula Free speech Reporters Without Borders Polynesia