Top 10 Most Censored Countries

The Committee to Protect Journalists released a list of the 10 Most Censored Countries in 2006. Here is the list of the top 5 and why the countries made it on the list.

1. NORTH KOREA: This country has no independent journalists and all radio stations and television receivers are locked to government specified frequencies. They use the "Big Lie" tactic only positive news to be shown. According to the media of North Korea the country has never experienced poverty or famine and all citizens would sacrifice themselves for their beloved leader above all else.

2. BURMA: This country has total control of print and electronic media and citizens risk arrest for listening to networks such as the BBC in public. They stifled coverage of the tsunami that hit the country in December 2004. International journalists are more often than not denied visa entry unless the government wants to positively showcase something.

3. TURKMENISTAN: This country constantly displays their president's golden image on the bottom of the screen. In 2005 the state closed all libraries except for ones that held the president's books and the president owns all domestic media ethics. Those who are local and foreign correspondents have minimal freedom to report.

4. EQUATORIAL GUINEA: There is one private broadcaster in this country and it is owned by the president's son. Private newspapers do exist but based on financial and political pressure are not often published. There are no longer bookstores or newsstands and foreign correspondents are often denied visas or expelled without official explanation.

5. LIBYA: This country has no independent broadcast or print media, the government owns and controls everything. The internet holds some avenues for independent writers and journalists, however the risks are extremely high as those who have written critical things on the internet have been jailed and even found shot in the head.

The list of Top Ten rounds out with ERITREA, CUBA, UZBEKISTAN, SYRIA, and BELARUS.

The full article and more explanation of the lists can be found here.