Global Press Freedom

The index is based on questionnaires completed by journalists and media experts and ranks 175 countries in terms of press freedom violations.

Tied at the top were Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway and Sweden. Ranking last were what the Press Without Borders website calls the "infernal trio:" Turkmenistan (173rd), North Korea (174th), and Eritrea (175th).

Several European countries fell significantly in the rankings from last year, among them France (43rd), Slovakia (44th) and Italy (49th), which fell eight, thirty seven and five places respectively. The factors that led to those declines drew criticism from Press Without Borders Secretary General Jean Francois Julliard.

"Europe should be setting an example as regards civil liberties. How can you condemn human rights violations abroad if you do not behave irreproachably at home?" said Julliard.

While the press freedom violations in Europe include threats of physical violence against journalists, according to the organization's website, "the main threat, a more serious one in the long term, comes from new legislation. Many laws adopted since September 2008 have compromised the work of journalists."  The index covers violations from between September 2008 and August 2009.

South East Europe Rankings

In South East Europe, the most striking development over the last year occurred in Croatia, which fell 33 places to 78th. The dramatic change reflects in part the murders last year of Ivo Pukanic, owner of the Croatian weekly Nacional, and the magazine's marketing director, Niko Franjic.

Elsewhere in the region, Bulgaria dropped nine places to 68th, remaining the lowest ranked country from the EU, behind Romania, which ranked 50th, and Hungary, which ranked 25th.

Within the former Yugoslavia Macedonia now ranks highest at 34th, ahead of Slovenia at 37th. Both Kosovo and Montenegro fell sharply, placing at 75th and 77th. Bosnia and Herzegovina fell slightly but placed relatively high for the region at 39th. Serbia was the only country along with Macedonia to improve in the rankings, placing this year at 62nd, tied with Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, Tanzania and Togo.

Albania and Moldova placed last in the region at 88th and 114th, respectively.

Among the former Soviet republics, Georgia ranked highest, leaping 39 places this year to place 81st. Ukraine (89th) and Armenia (111st) declined slightly from last year,  while both Azerbaijan (146th) and Belarus (151st)  improved but remained near the bottom of the index.

Russia fell twelve places to 153rd.

--Michael Mehen