Reporters Without Borders announces prizes for online repression

To mark the Internet Festival that France and several French-speaking countries (Belgium, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Madagascar and Canada-Quebec) are holding from 29 March to 4 April, Reporters Without Borders announces its awards for online repression. Top prize, the Golden Palm, goes to China. Eight other countries put in outstanding performances. The winners: Golden Palm: China An easy choice this year for its 60 cyber-dissidents in prison, hundreds of thousands of websites censored and strict censorship of e-mail. The Best Actor award was won by Chinese President Hu Jintao for his regular statements about the country's progress in human rights. First Prize for Censorship: Saudi Arabia Well deserved for its more than 400,000 online items censored, ranging from political websites to unauthorised Islamist organisations and of course anything remotely concerning sex. Chief Jailer Award: Vietnam With seven cyber-dissidents in jail, Vietnam is the world's second biggest prison (after its neighbour China) for those who want to surf the Internet in freedom. Public (sector) Prize: Cuba This goes to the Cuban government for using the state telecommunications body, ETEC SA, to restrict access to the Internet and for its complete control of all information. Best Scenery Award: the Maldives Three cyber-dissidents are in prison in this country, better known for its stunning beaches. Two of them have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Critics' Prize: Syria The government is holding two Internet users in secret for posting criticism of the regime online. Special Media Prize: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe This honours the winner's career as a predator of press freedom and recognises his growing determination to stifle use of the Internet.. Grand Prize for Hypocrisy: The United Nations and its World Summit on the Information Society Won for the special place reserved at this major Internet summit for countries that have most harshly repressed the Internet, such as China and Cuba. Special Jury Prize: French industry minister Nicole Fontaine For her proposed law on the digital economy which threatens freedom of expression online. Reporters Without Borders welcomes this Festival and notes that as it opens on 29 March, 72 cyber-dissidents around the world will spend the day in their prison cells for posting criticism of their governments online.