DUSHANBE, January 31, 2013, Asia-Plus – Tajikistan has been ranked 123rd among 179 countries in the 2013 Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Compared to last year, Tajikistan fell one place in the ranking, mostly because of the constant restrictions on access to some independent news websites and the Facebook social network.   However, it left behind the Russian, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

The Russian Federation (148th) lost six places because of stepped-up repression there.  Kazakhstan also lost six places following cases of arrest, intimidation of journalists and closure of the main opposition media.

In Uzbekistan (164th), President Islam Karimov’s regime tightened his grip on the Internet and Turkmenistan (177th) remains this year one of the world''s three worst offenders in terms of press freedom.

The Paris-based press watchdog says Kyrgyzstan is the best performer in Central Asia.  This year Kyrgyzstan has been ranked 106th. 

Ukraine was placed 126th and Belarus 157th.

In the Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia ranked 156th, 100th, and 74th, respectively.

According to RSF, the same three European countries that headed the index last year hold the top three positions again this year.  For the third year running, Finland has distinguished itself as the country that most respects media freedom.  It is followed by the Netherlands and Norway. Although many criteria are considered, ranging from legislation to violence against journalists, democratic countries occupy the top of the index while dictatorial countries occupy the last three positions.  Again it is the same three as last year – Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea.

The Press Freedom Index is an annual ranking of countries compiled and published by Reporters Without Borders based upon the organization''s assessment of the countries'' press freedom records in the previous year. A smaller score in the index corresponds to greater freedom of the press.

The report is based on a questionnaire sent to partner organizations of Reporters Without Borders (14 freedom of expression groups in five continents) and its 130 correspondents around the world, as well as to journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists.  The survey asks questions about direct attacks on journalists and the media as well as other indirect sources of pressure against the free press. Due to the nature of the survey''s methodology based on individual perceptions, there can be wide contrasts in a country''s ranking from year to year.