Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Added to Russian “Wanted List”
Ukraine’s ministry of foreign affairs condemned the inclusion of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Kremlin’s “wanted list” as a sign of Russian desperation and propaganda, according to a statement released on Saturday.
The list, maintained by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, identifies individuals accused of criminal activities. While Russia claimed that Zelenskyy was wanted under a specific criminal code article, no further details were provided.
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has been actively seeking to eliminate the Ukrainian president. Russian President Vladimir Putin even urged the Ukrainian army to overthrow Zelenskyy.
Notably, in February, Moscow also added Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas to its wanted list for alleged offenses related to historical memory and anti-Russian sentiments.
Ukraine’s Response
In response to Moscow’s actions, the Ukrainian ministry emphasized that Russia is resorting to extreme measures to attract attention. They highlighted the contrast between Russian claims and the International Criminal Court’s legitimate warrant for the arrest of Russian President Putin on war crimes charges, which is enforceable in 123 countries.
Ukraine’s Defiant Response to Russia’s ‘Wanted List’ for Zelenskyy
Press Freedom in Decline: Report Reveals Worsening Global Situation
▲2024 World Press Freedom Index. The redder the colour, the looser the press in the area. ⓒReporters Without Borders
Press freedom around the world is on the wane. As of 2022, the number of countries that scored very poorly (red) in the press freedom index was 28 of the 180 countries surveyed, but this year the number increased to 36. Only 25% of countries scored △Good (white) and △Da (yellow).
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) published the ‘World Press Freedom Index’ 2024 on the 3rd. Among the five indicators used to calculate the index, the political indicator fell the most, falling by 7.6 points on average worldwide. Anne Bocandé, Editorial Director of Reporters Without Borders said: “There are increasing cases where the state and political forces are not doing their part for press freedom. He expressed concern that “hostile actions are taking place that diminish the role of journalists.”
According to the Reporters Without Borders report, many governments are restricting access to social media and the internet, blocking accounts and suppressing news and information messages. For example, in Vietnam (174th), journalists who speak their minds on social media are systematically arrested. China (172nd) not only imprisons more journalists than any other country in the world, but also tightly controls information distribution channels, regulating online content and restricting the spread of information deemed sensitive or against the line the party It has a policy of censorship and surveillance. In the case of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, media censorship is emulated by Russia (162nd), and this pattern can be seen in Belarus (167th), Kyrgyzstan (120th), and Azerbaijan (164th).
In the Americas, the percentage of countries classified as having a “good” press freedom situation dropped significantly from 36% in 2023 to 21% in 2024. In Argentina (66th), President Javier Millais was elected after a shutdown the country’s largest telecommunications company. Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, with 37 journalists killed since 2019. In the Middle East and North Africa, the press freedom situation in almost half of the countries was classified as “very bad.” In Nigeria (112th) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (123rd), violence targeting journalists occurred during election periods. Reporters Without Borders expressed concern that “Syria and Eritrea, where many journalists are detained, missing or held hostage, are areas without any law to protect the media.”
▲ The Asian region’s press freedom index is full of red. ⓒReporters Without Borders
The Asia Pacific region also declined. The press freedom index of 26 of the 32 countries in the region fell, and Reporters Without Borders noted that “authoritarian governments in the region are seizing increasing control over news and information.” For example, Afghanistan (178th), where three journalists were killed and at least 25 cases of journalist detention, fell 26 places from the previous year. North Korea (177th) and China (172nd) have not been ranked last for a long time. Vietnam (174th) and Myanmar (171st) follow China and North Korea. The Philippines (134th), where two journalists were murdered in 2023, and Bangladesh (165th), where three journalists were murdered, were also considered dangerous countries.
In Mongolia (109th), journalists are at the border due to threats of defamation lawsuits, and in Malaysia (107th), news websites critical of the government are often blocked. In the case of Hong Kong (135th), its ranking rose five places, although its score dropped due to the persecution of more journalists under the national security law implemented by China in 2020. This is due to downward standardization. However, other democratic countries such as East Timor (20th), Samoa (22nd), and Taiwan (27th) maintain a role as a model for press freedom. In the case of Korea (62nd), its ranking dropped 19 places in the two years since the Yoon Seok-yeol administration took office. Reporters Without Borders assessed that “Korea is a model for press freedom in the Asia-Pacific region” as recently as 2021.
In North Korea, several foreign media companies, including AFP and Kyodo News, operate officially in North Korea, but are under close surveillance. Reporters Without Borders said, “Kim Jong-un controls the media to convey content that only praises the party, the military and himself,” and “Article 67 of the North Korean Constitution guarantees freedom of the press , but the North Korean regime systematically ignores this principle.” “He criticized. In addition, “The North Korean regime allows the use of mobile phones, including smartphones, but has created technological means to completely control communications within the internal network, and North Korean residents can still be sent to concentration camps to watch media online overseas.” he did
The most dangerous place for journalists today is Palestine. Reporters Without Borders said in this report, “Journalists and the media have suffered record levels of damage since October 2023 due to the war in the Gaza Strip. “More than 100 Palestinian journalists have been killed by the Israeli Defense Forces, and at least 22 of them died while reporting,” he said.
▲2024 Publication of the Index of Press Freedom by Reporters Without Borders. ⓒReporters Without Borders
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Press Freedom in Decline: Report Reveals Worsening Global Situation
Fire, Rosenborg | Brann turned to victory against Rosenborg
Frøya Dorsin gave her team a lead when she scored the 1-0 goal a quarter of an hour before the break. The teams left the pitch at 0-1 at half-time.
A few minutes into the second half, Brann received a penalty kick, and Marthine Østenstad scored the 1-1 goal. Brann got a lead when Aahjem scored 2–1 after 79 minutes of play. There were no more netizens in the match. The match thus ended 2–1.
Fire’s Cecilie Redisch Kvamme and Justine Kielland received yellow cards. For Rosenborg, Emilie Nautnes, Cesilie Andreassen and Rugile Rulyte received yellow cards.
After Sunday’s game, Brann is in fifth place in the table with twelve points, while Rosenborg is in second place with 15 points.
Karoline Marie Jensen was the match manager.
Both teams play their next match on 11 May. Brann will play against Arna-Bjørnar, while Rosenborg will face Åsane.
(©NTB)
Supplied by NTB’s automated article service.
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