TODAY NICARAGUA – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranks Nicaragua in 92nd spot, on a list ranking 180 countries according to level of press freedom.
The Paris-based press advocacy group says in its 2017 Press Freedom Index released Wednesday Nicaragua is a country with a “Stigmatized media”.
Second to Costa Rica, ranked 6th, in Nicaragua the press continues with censorship, intimidation, and threats.
President Daniel Ortega’s re-election in November 2016 for a third consecutive term was accompanied by mistreatment of Nicaraguan journalists, especially those with independent or opposition media outlets.
Journalism as a whole is stigmatized and journalists are often the targets of harassment campaigns, arbitrary arrests, and death threats. At demonstrations, reporters are treated as participants and are often physically attacked.
Nicaragua’s constitution tolerates only “constructive” criticism – a vague concept that allows the government to censor and restrict freedom of information.
Norway ranks in first place, followed by Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands.
Reporters Without Borders, or Reporters Sans Frontières, is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization that promotes and defends freedom of information and freedom of the press.
You must be logged in to post a comment.