THE FREEDOM HOUSE - 2009 STUDY: REGION FACES BIGGEST DROP IN PRESS FREEDOM CROATIA'S JOURNALISTS MURDERED AND ASSAULTED DECLINE REPORTED IN BULGARIA AND BOSNIA Washington, DC - Freedom House announced its annual media study and relayed serious concern that global press freedom has declined for the seventh straight year. Croatia dropped from the 78th place in 2008 to 81 in the 2009 rankings while Serbia showed improvement. In the regional ranking, Croatia dropped from the 10th to the 11th place. Montenegro surpassed Croatia to share the 78th spot with Botswana and East Timor. The annual findings for the region covering Central and Eastern Europe/Former Soviet Union stated: "The region suffered the biggest drop in press freedom of any region, with journalists murdered in Bulgaria and Croatia and assaulted in Bosnia. Russia's score declined with the judiciary unwilling to protect journalists from attacks, as well as the frequent targeting of independent media by regulators." "The journalism profession today is up against the ropes and fighting to stay alive, as pressures from governments, other powerful actors and the global economic crisis take an enormous toll," said Jennifer Windsor, Freedom House executive director. "The press is democracy's first defense and its vulnerability has enormous implications for democracy if journalists are not able to carry out their traditional watchdog role." The annual report highlights violence and impunity: The level of violence and physical harassment directed at the press by both government and non-state actors continues to rise in many countries. Many of these cases go unsolved and these attacks have a chilling effect on media, contributing to self-censorship. The Adriatic Institute for Public Policy has noticed significant hostility toward Croatia's independent journalists investigating political corruption and organized crime. The Adriatic Institute for Public Policy has briefed Europe's national parliamentarians, European Union officials and members of the European parliament regarding the assault on Croatia's media freedom. The assassination of Nacional's publisher and investigative journalist Ivo Pukanic and his colleague along with the many physical attacks targeting independent journalists should raise serious concerns in Brussels and capitals in EU member states as Croatia seeks to enter the European Union. "The level of media freedom is at an all-time low in Croatia and it is worse than the days under Croatia's authoritarian ruler Franjo Tudjman," said Joel Anand Samy, co-founder and trustee of the Adriatic Institute for Public Policy. "Our independent think tank is aware of reports from independent journalists and media groups in Croatia receiving death threats and even direct warnings from Croatian politicians. In a number of cases connected to investigative media reports, Croatia's government officials have imposed censorship. Croatia's state-controlled media and the government's significant ownership in the economy which is manifested through providing media advertising revenues further undermines media freedom. Those directly affected are its citizens and taxpayers." Freedom House Executive Director Jennifer has urged the Obama Administration to take notice of the rising threats against journalists around the world. |
