“Reporters Without Borders” gave Belarus as a negative example

An influential international organization, asserting the situation with the freedom of speech in Ukraine, expressed its hope that our neighbors will not follow the Belarusian way.

Asserting the situation in the Ukrainian Mass media, “Reporters Without Borders” marked “essential limitation of Mass media freedom”, “Deutsche Welle” reports.

The organization marked “rise of censorship cases, attacks on journalists, strengthening of political pressure on the press representatives”.

“Reporters Without Borders” hope, that Ukrainian government will consider their recommendations and display political will, ensuring freedom of press in the country.

“After the “orange revolution” the progress of freedom of speech and press was observed in the country. Now we see the inverse process. But we count on constructive dialog with Kiev and hope, that Ukraine will not follow the Belarusian way”, - the spokesman for the German office of “Reporters Without Borders” Anya Fiol said.

“Reporters Without Borders” is an international non-governmental organization, supporting the freedom of speech worldwide. The organization struggles against censorship and for release of journalist imprisoned because of their professional activity. Meanwhile, she relies on Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The organization was founded in 1985 in Paris.

“Reporters Without Borders” public annually press freedom index on its web site in the countries around the world. In the year of 2009 the Republic of Belarus honored 151-th place out of 175 stated. Below us on the list from European countries was only Russia (153-th place).