Zimbabwe has slipped in press freedom rankings for the third successive year, according to a report by France-based Reporters without Borders (Reporters sans Frontières) released on Thursday, which also showed Namibia as the country with the best conditions for journalists in Africa.

Zimbabwe has been ranked 151st out of 167 countries surveyed by the Paris-based media rights body. The southern African country was ranked 149th in the Worldwide Press Freedom Index published by body in 2007.

In a commentary accompanying the 2008 index, Reporter Without Borders said practicising journalism in Zimbabwe was “a high risk exercise involving endless frustration and constant police and judicial harassment.”

At least a dozen journalists have been arrested in Zimbabwe this year for allegedly operating without government accreditation. Major international news agencies are banned from operating in the country under tough media laws introduced in 2002.

Namibia was for the second year judged the African country with a media-friendly environment, followed by Ghana, Malawi, Cape Verde, South Africa, Mauritius, Liberia, Togo, Burkina Faso and Botswana.

South Africa and Cape Verde were ranked 36th in the world, the same position as the United States which has repeatedly led international criticism of developing countries for alleged human rights abuses, including lack of press freedom.

Source African Press Agency

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