Watchdog Blasts U.S., Israel for Treatment of Media

Reuters Monday, October 20, 2003; 9:54 AM

By Paul Carrel

PARIS (Reuters) - Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) accused Israel and the United States Monday of unacceptable behavior toward journalists in the occupied Palestinian territories and in Iraq.

In its second annual world press freedom ranking, RSF also criticized Arab countries for cracking down on media freedoms during the Iraq war, but said standards were worst in Asia, with the region providing eight of the bottom 10 ranked countries.

RSF awarded the United States and Israel two separate rankings each -- one for respect of press freedoms on their own territory, and one for behavior beyond their borders.

The Israeli army was guilty of injuring and threatening journalists in the West Bank and Gaza, an RSF spokesman said.

"The Israeli army's repeated abuse of journalists in the occupied territories and the U.S. army's responsibility in the death of several reporters during the war in Iraq constitute unacceptable behavior," the watchdog said in a statement.

Separately, Paris-based RSF also complained about the arrest in Iraq Sunday of a Reuters cameraman and an Agence France-Presse (AFP) photographer who were covering the aftermath of an attack on a U.S. army ammunition convoy.

RSF cited Iraqi police as saying they had been ordered by U.S. officials to detain the pair, who were later released.

"Obstruction of journalists trying to do their job in Iraq is on the rise and must stop," RSF Secretary-General Robert Menard said in a statement. "The number of attacks on press freedom there is becoming alarming."

Out of 164 countries surveyed by RSF, the United States ranked 31st for its respect for freedom of expression at home, and 135th for its behavior beyond its borders. Israel ranked 44th and 146th in the two categories.

RSF compiled the rankings by asking journalists, human rights activists, researchers and legal experts to complete a questionnaire evaluating press freedoms in their countries.

Twelve journalists were killed in the U.S.-led Iraq war this year, and the U.S. military was responsible for the deaths of five of them, an RSF spokesman noted. Two of the journalists worked for Reuters.

The war also saw Arab states clamp down on press freedoms.

"Concerned about maintaining their image and facing public opinion largely opposed to the war, they (Arab regimes) stepped up control of the press and increased pressure on journalists, who are forced to use self-censorship," RSF said.

Further east, Asia provided the biggest abusers of press freedom, as was the case in 2002. The bottom 10 ranked countries included North Korea, ranked last, Burma, Laos, China, Iran, Vietnam, Turkmenistan and Bhutan.

Cuba scored the second lowest ranking after 26 journalists were arrested there earlier this year and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 14 to 27 years. This made Cuba "the world's biggest prison for journalists," RSF said.

European Union countries generally scored high rankings, though Italy was placed 53rd -- below most other EU states.

"Silvio Berlusconi's conflict of interests as head of government and owner of a media empire is still unresolved. Furthermore, a draft law to reform radio and TV broadcasting, tailored to Berlusconi's interests, is likely to increase the threats to news diversity in Italy," RSF said.

Finland scored the top ranking.