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Berlin/ Paris (pte031/02.05.2003/14:42) - Tomorrow, Saturday, is official "Freedom of Press Day". On this occasion, the German journalist organisation Reporter ohne Grenzen http://www.reporter-ohne-grenzen.de is calling all online media to 'fly' an Internet banner in support of the fundamental right to freedom of information and opinion.
Since 1 January 17 journalists and one journalist assistant have been killed and 130 members of the media have been imprisoned. A total of 49 online reporters have been incarcerated on the grounds of critical commentary published on the Internet and 120 media have been censored or banned completely. In addition to this, many reporters have had to face violent, repressive measures against themselves or their families.
Last week activists of the international organisation Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) http://www.rsf.org were beaten by employees of the Cuban embassy in Paris, after they had chained themselves to the embassy gate in protest against the recent prison sentences for several Cuban reporters.
A recent RSF study has however also criticised the press policies of European countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In the 2002 annual report Austria is accused of impeding freedom of opinion through the "slow dismantling of state radio and TV monopolies" and an "unusual concentration of ownership in the print media sector".
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