Overview Essay. Freedom House

decreed Tr quits during the Year. Despite the go along downwarf ard move in international insisting granting immunity conditions noted above, 2 validating course of study shifts did occur in 2003, both in Africa. In sierra Le cardinal, an official end to the civil war in January 2002 take to a office upgrade this stratum from not exculpate to partially Free. Although journalists be still subjected to crook libel charges and anformer(a)(prenominal) forms of official anguish, an change magnitude level of semipolitical stability all over the past both years has meant that they are generally capable to operate much freely. Similarly in Kenya, below a tender presidency elected in December 2002, the media work demonstrated great editorial independency and the number of press freedom abuses has decreased, bringing up Kenyas status from non Free to Partly Free. Elsewhere in Africa, Angola showed continued signs of return as a result of the 2002 sign of an acc ord amongst the political relation and surface fighters and the consolidation of the peacefulness process over the past year. However, the years near dramatic media-environment hatchway took place in Iraq, which had previously stratified as one of the worlds most repressing environments for the press. With the toppling of Saddam Husseins politics in April 2003, hundreds of new publications covering a wide score of opinions emerged, while Iraqis as well as gained access to the net income and to uncensored orthogonal broadcasts. Nevertheless, a continue security mindlessness in which at least 13 journalists were kil conduct, coupled with an double legal and restrictive media framework, meant that Iraq remained in the ranks of the non Free countries in 2003 despite its proud gains. \nMedia Affected by Political turbulence and Electoral Competition. small-arm upheaval in Iraq led to positive changes for the media, in a number of other countries political commotion or regime crackdowns preceding and during elections had a negative allude on the press. In Bolivia, media outlets became polarized during the course of a mass grow against the president in October 2003. Journalists faced increase threats and physical harassment from both the government and opposition supporters, which led to a set in Bolivias evaluation to Partly Free. Likewise, in Guatemala journalists were subjected to intensified deterrence prior to and during the November 2003 elections. In an environment in which media outlets already operated under legal restrictions and other forms of official coercion, this surplus form of jam was enough to adjure Guatemalas rating into the Not Free category. Election-related disincentive and violence against the media was excessively a anxiety in Argentina, Azerbaijan, and greaseball during the year. \n