The leaders of China, Russia and Rwanda are among the worst "predators of press freedom" according to Reporters Without Borders. The annual report from the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders, published to mark World Media Freedom Day, highlights the worst offenders of media censorship and violence.The list contains political figures as well as religious leaders, militias and criminal organizations.
A number of world leaders are on the list. Gilles Lordet, director of research at the media watchdog, says one of the worst offenders is President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, where an election is to take place in August.
"He does not respect the work of the journalists, he does not want to have press freedom in his country and he is pressuring and he can be very intimidating with journalists and censoring very regularly media and press that do not share his point of view," Lordet said.
New additions to the list included Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov and Yemeni President Ali Abdulah Saleh. Lordet says media rights in Yemen are rapidly eroding.
"Since May 2009 we observed a very bad evolution, with a lot of trial, with a lot of journalists in prison, a lot of journalists harassed and it is really the worst evolution of media freedom in the world," Lordet said.
Another new addition to the list was Taliban leader Mullah Omar.
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