French Watchdog Names 40 "Predators of the Press”
3, May, 2010
A
new release for the French watchdog organization "Reporters Without Borders” quoted
the worst predators of press freedom, which listed Hu Jintau of China, Ahmadinejad of Iran and
Russia's Putin, They were described describe as "dangerous, violent and above
the law”.
The list included beside politicians, the religious leaders and
militias to mark World Press Freedom Day.
The description stated, "They are powerful, dangerous, violent and
above the law”, the Paris-based watchdog RSF said. "These predators of
press freedom have the power to censor, imprison, kidnap, torture and, in the
worst cases, murder journalists".
Seventeen presidents and several heads of government are on the
list, including China's Hu Jintao, Iran's Mahmud
Ahmadinejad, Rwanda's Paul Kagame, Cuba's Raoul Castro and Russia's
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
The North Caucasus had its share in the report, which mentioned
that Chechnya's pro-Kremlin President Ramzan Kadyrov was also added to the
list.
The watchdog said that Under Kadyrov, "anyone questioning (his)
policies... is exposed to deadly reprisals”, citing the murders of slaughtered reporter
Anna Politkovskaya and human rights activist Natalia Estemirova.