Freedom of information is fundamental in any democracy, and affords citizens a means of calling attention to violations of their rights, but nearly half of the world’s population has no access to freely-reported news and information. We should all be free to sieve the truth from the rubbish but what if government propaganda purges the freedom of information, which is fundamental in any democracy. What if critic- and dissident reporters and media personnel loose their license and can no longer do their job because they are systematically silenced, being bullied, abused, fined, persecuted or even end up in jail, depending in which country they operate.

Unfortunately, this is now the new global trend rather than the exception. In recent years, it has seen a marked increase in reactions from governments to the publication of the World Press Freedom Index. A free press: Disseminates information and ideas among citizens, contributing to a people's common storehouse of knowledge. Its advocacy is founded on the belief that everyone requires access to the news and information, inspired by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that recognizes the right to receive and share information regardless of frontiers, along with other international rights charters.

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