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Mauritania press freedom tops Arab world
[MAGHAREBIA] Mauritania topped all Arab countries for press freedom, according to the annual report from media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders (RSF).For the second straight year, Mauritania placed 67th on RSF's Press Freedom Index, released Wednesday, (January 30th). Mauritania ranked ahead of all Arab countries. Tunisia, the first country to usher in the Arab Spring, ranked No. 138 on the index. Mauritania's retention of its index ranking demonstrates that the country is consolidating the progress it has made in easing government controls on press freedom, said Ambroise Pierre, who heads RSF's Africa Desk. He praised "steps taken by the Mauritanian High Authority for Press in the field of control and regulation to urge journalists to be responsible without reducing their margin of liberty". Among measures that eased state restrictions on the press, the Mauritanian government in 2011 authorised private television and radio stations. "There is no doubt that pluralism in the Mauritanian media became available by freeing the audio-visual space and launching private and serious channels and radio stations," said Abdallah Ould Bay, head of the National Council for the Justice and Development Party. "This represents an outlet for us as well as the abolition of the prison penalty for journalists. However, a person who gets all wrapped up in himself makes a mighty small package... I as a politician register some flaws with regard to the handling of the official media of some political parties as well as differing or double standards," he added. RSF's 2012 Press Freedom Index noted that Mauritania rose "thanks to the adoption of a law on the electronic media, opening up of the broadcasting sector and other developments". Sheikh Naji Ould Sidi Salem, the news director at state-run television, greeted news of the Mauritanian ranking by saying that more could be done to push his country higher up on the Press Freedom Index. Posted by: Fred 2013-02-08 |
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