World Leaders Giving Us The Finger On World Press Freedom Day [Photos]

by John G Johnston on 05/20/2013

As you can see, French nonâ€“profit Journalists Without BordersÂ has produced a series of altered black and white images of some world leaders giving us the finger. The irreverent images have been posted around the streets of Paris in celebration of World Press Freedom Day. The campaign depicts images of leaders considered to demonstrate a pretty negative stance toward freedom of the press in their country. In some cases, that’s a massive understatement.

The United Nations created World Press Freedom Day in order to remind governments around the world of the importance of a free press. Reporters Without Borders releases an annual Press Freedom Index to keep tabs on which countries are exercising freedom of the press, or otherwise. Unsurprisingly, the leaders depicted in the campaign are from nations appearing near the very bottom of the index.