Press freedom declines in Egypt

Press freedom in Egypt has dropped since the revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak's regime a year ago, a study indicates. A press freedom index published by Reporters Without Borders says Egypt fell 39 places during the past year, Al-Ahram Online reported Wednesday. Last year Egypt was 127 on the press freedom list but the 2011/12 index placed the country lower at 166. The group said Egypt's drop reflects the fact that the country's military rulers have continued the practices of Mubarak's dictatorship. Journalists in Egypt suffered three periods of exceptional violence in February, November and December of 2011, the press freedom organisation said. Syria, Bahrain and Yemen all received their worst-ever press freedom ranking but Tunisia rose 30 places to 134 on the 2011/12 list.