BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

17/10/2007

Belarus Ranks Low On Annual Press Freedom Index

The media rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on October 16 publicized its annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index, which ranks 169 countries worldwide according to their level of press freedom. Belarus ranked 151st out of 169 countries. Uzbekistan, ranked 160th, and Turkmenistan, ranked 167th, are the only other post-Soviet states in the bottom 20 countries of the index. Ukraine was classified at 92nd place and Russia at 144th. One "topic of concern is Belarus, which as you know is one of the last dictatorships very close to Europe," Elsa Vidal from RSF's European and post-Soviet countries desk told RFE/RL. "Unfortunately we even very recently witnessed arrests, preventative arrests, of opponents and independent journalists to prevent them from witnessing and [taking part] in an opposition march that took place last weekend," Vidal said. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/10/3-cee/cee-171007.asp