World Press Freedom Day

The Committee to Protect Journalists released its annual “Ten Worst Enemies of the Press” list, detailing world leaders the group says are responsible for the worst abuses against the media.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran, Liberian president Charles Taylor, and Chinese president Jiang Zemin topped this year’s list.

“Whether they are sly or blatant, the goal of each of these leaders is to hold on to political power by controlling information and muffling criticism,” said CPJ executive director Ann Cooper.

Iran’s Khamenei took the number one spot for instigating what the CPJ called “a relentless campaign that has shuttered the country’s vibrant reformist press.”

Liberia’s Taylor was cited for his legal efforts to clamp down on journalists — as well as a pledge last year, cited by the CPJ, to become “ferocious” with media outfits that oppose his government.

China’s Jiang made the list for heavy policing of news content and the jailing of 22 journalists at the end of last year.

New to the list are Colombian paramilitary leader Carlos Castano and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. Mugabe’s government is accused of mounting a campaign against the press through physical and legal threats, while Castano’s forces have been accused of murdering at least four journalists in Colombia.

Also appearing for the first time is Russian President Vladimir Putin, placed on the list after the recent takeover of NTV, Russia’s only independent nationwide television network, by a state-owned utility.

Rounding out the group are perennial list members Cuban President Fidel Castro, Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

The French media watchdog group Reporters sans Frontieres released a similar list of 30 “Predators of Press Freedom,” singling out leaders the group says have stifled the independent press.

Honoring fallen comrades

The names of 26 journalists killed in the line of duty were added to a memorial today in Arlington, Va.

One third were reporters covering wars in Colombia, Sierra Leone and Russia.

“The real story behind each one of these people is they made lives better by the simple act of reporting,” said John Schork, whose brother was killed in a rebel ambush in Sierra Leone.

Those honored today had their names added to a monument honoring 1,395 slain journalists built by The Freedom Forum in 1996.