Media restrictions improving says watchdog

The Paris-based international media watchdog, Reporters Sans Frontieres, says twenty six journalists were killed last year while carrying out their work.

This was ten fewer than in the previous twelve months.

But the group said the practice of killing or arresting journalists, for their work or their opinions, was still extremely worrying and there was no room for complacency.

It also said that seventy-seven journalists were at present being held in jails worldwide -- the lowest figure in recent years.

Of this number, more than half were held in just four countries -- Burma, China, Iran and Ethiopia. RSF said two-hundred and ninety-five media outlets were censored or suspended in 2000, again down on the previous year.

The group said the most repressive countries were Iran, which closed down thirty media outlets, and Turkey.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service