New Report by Reporters Without Borders - 2003-10-20

The new report by Reporters Without Borders places Iran among the seven worst countries in the world regarding press freedom protection last year. The report also accuses Israel of unacceptable behavior towards journalists in the occupied Palestinian territories and criticizes the United States for the deaths of journalists in Iraq. In the report, Iran ranks 160th out of 166 countries assessed for press freedom. It describes the Islamic Republic as the largest prison for journalists in the Middle East, citing 10 cases of those imprisoned there at the end of 2002. It notes that reformists in the Tehran government protested against attacks on journalists and newspapers but were unable to control the judiciary, which is under the influence of hardliners. The report ranks the United States and Israel 31st and 44th respectively for their respect for freedom of expression domestically. However, in terms of their behavior beyond their borders, the U.S. is ranked 135th and Israel 146th. The report criticizes what it calls the ongoing mistreatment of journalists by the Israeli army in the occupied territories and holds the U.S. military responsible for the deaths of seven journalists during the war in Iraq. It states that the war also played a role in suppressing the press in other parts of the Middle East, as Arab governments, worried about the image they might project against public opposition to the war, increased pressure on journalists.