For the second year in a row, Qatar has moved up the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, while the Middle East region as a whole has come under fire for not respecting journalists’ rights.
Qatar now ranks 110th in the 2013 World Press Freedom Index, up from 114th, surpassing the UAE, which fell two spots to 112th, for the first time since 2006.
But Qatar is still far from the 74th place it held in 2008. It also continues to trail Kuwait, which is 77th.
Last year, Jan Keulen, director of the Doha Centre for Media Freedom, attributed the relatively low rankings to the absence of an up-to-date media law. The same issue holds true today, he told Doha News.
A new draft of the media law, which hasn’t been updated since 1979, has garnered criticism at home and abroad for vague wording that bars critical reporting on Arab and friendly countries. It would also penalize news outlets for running anything that could be deemed offensive to Qatar’s ruling family or damaging to national interests.
GCC fares poorly
Read more: http://dohanews.co/post/41860444976/qatar-ticks-up-reporters-without-borders-press-freedom#ixzz2JT4BTMBP
It's a step in the right direction, but Qatar and the whole mid-east definitely have a long way to go.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that the Qatari leadership is motivated to improve their global press-freedom ranking (not specifically on this index)?
And if so, what motivates them to do so?
It is a tiny step that follows a major setback from 2008. I believe they are realizing the importance of free press in making Qatar the center of education, culture and arts in the region and obviously for their right to host the World Cup. A landmark to this country, Al Jazeera is also on the front line of this battle and according to many; press is going to take a big step forward very soon.
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