03/05/2010 18:02
Russia’s PM Putin added to Predators of Press Freedom List
Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was added to the list of 40 Predators of Press Freedom, released by media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RWB) on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, which is being marked on May 3.
The Predators of Press Freedom List includes 40 politicians, government officials, religious leaders, militias and criminal organisations that cannot stand the press, treat it as an enemy and directly attack journalists.
17 presidents and several heads of government were listed, among them Taliban leader Mullah Omar, Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, Yemeni President Ali Abdulah, North Koran leader Kim Jong-il, China's Hu Jintao, Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Rwanda's Paul Kagame, and Cuba's Raul Castro.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliev is also on the list.
According to RWB, Russian Prime Minister has put the media under control and uses them to manipulate people. Besides, Reporters without Borders accused Putin of supporting attacks on free-thinking people and dissidents. It’s worth mentioning that earlier Putin was added to the list in 2006.