Enemies of the internet

• Did you know that more than a third of the world’s people live in countries where there is no press freedom?
• Did you know that more than 130 journalists around the world are in prison simply for doing their job?

Reporters Without Borders – an association officially recognized as serving the public interest - works constantly to restore their right to be informed and demands the release of jailed journalists. It believes imprisoning or killing a journalist is like eliminating a key witness and threatens everyone’s right to be informed.

• Did you know that Reporters Without Borders has been fighting these practices for more than 18 years?
• Did you know the association maintains a trilingual (French, English and Spanish) website in order to keep people informed of attacks on press freedom as they occur throughout the world?

They have just released a list of 13 "enemies of the internet": Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran , North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, but Nepal, Libya and the Maldives have all been removed.

The list consists of countries that are said to be suppressing freedom of expression on the internet. Many of those on the internet blacklist are countries that are regularly criticised by human rights groups, such as China and Burma.

Egypt is criticised for its attitude to bloggers. "Three bloggers have been arrested and detained this year for speaking out in favour of democratic reform.”

What can we do? We can join an online protest. If many net users express their concern, then Reporters Without Borders will be stronger to fight against the enemies of the internet.

Learning English

1. Recapitulate the association's main worries and aims.

2. How many of the 13 enemies blacklisted by the association can you remember?

3. The report they have just released has good news and bad news. What's the good news? What's the bad news?