Political and Legal Censorship
What is political censorship?

Political censorship exists when a
government attempts to conceal, distort, or
falsify information that its citizens receive by
suppressing or crowding out political news that
the public might receive through news outlets.
What is political censorship?

The suppression of views that are contrary to
those of the government in power. The
government often has the power of the army
and the secret police, to enforce the compliance
of journalists with the will of the government to
extol the story that the government wants
people to believe, at times even with bribery,
ruin of careers, imprisonment, and even
assassination.
Historical and contemporary
examples of political censorship
Cuba
 Eastern Block and the USSR
 North Korea

Historical examples of political
censorship in the USSR
Independent journalism did not exist in Soviet
Russia until Mikhail Gorbachev
 Information dissemination was controlled
directly by each country's Communist party,
which controlled the state media, censorship
and propaganda organs.

Historical examples of political
censorship in the USSR

State and party ownership of print, television
and radio media served as an important manner
in which to control information and society in
light of Eastern Bloc leaderships viewing even
marginal groups of opposition intellectuals as a
potential threat to the bases underlying
Communist power therein
Historical examples of political
censorship in the USSR

Beginning in 1935, Joseph Stalin effectively
sealed off outside access to the Soviet Socialist
Republics (and until his death), effectively
permitting no foreign travel inside the Soviet
Union such that outsiders did not know of the
political processes that had taken place therein.
Historical examples of political
censorship in the USSR

During this period, and even for 25 years after
Stalin's death, the few diplomats and foreign
correspondents that were permitted inside the
Soviet Union were usually restricted to within a
few miles of Moscow, their phones were tapped,
their residences were restricted to foreigneronly locations and they were constantly
followed by Soviet authorities. Dissenters who
approached such foreigners were arrested.
Historical examples of political
censorship in the USSR

For many years after World War II, even the
best informed foreigners did not know the
number of arrest or executed Soviet citizens, or
how poorly the Soviet economy had performed.
Censorship of North Korea

North Korea (the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea) has a high degree of
censorship and no freedom of the press. It is
routinely at the bottom of the World Press
Freedom Index Rankings published annually by
Reporters Without Borders. In 2007 North
Korea was listed second-to-last of 169
countries (only Eritrea ranked lower), and from
2002 through 2006 it was listed the worst in
the world.
Censorship of North Korea

All media outlets are strictly owned and
controlled by the North Korean
government. As such, all media in North
Korea gets its news from the Korean
Central News Agency. The media
dedicates a large portion of its resources
toward political propaganda and
promoting the personality cult of Kim IlSung and Kim Jong-il
The extent of censorship in North
Korea
In 2006, Reporters Without Borders listed
North Korea among the top 13 Internet
enemies.
 Internet access is illegal in North Korea. Very
few government elite have access to the
internet through a secret Chinese connection.

Censorship in Cuba
Censorship in Cuba has been reported on
extensively, and resulted in European Union
sanctions as well as statements of protest from
groups, governments, and noted individuals.
 Books, newspapers, radio channels, television
channels, movies and music are censored.
Clandestine printing is restricted.The Cuban
authorities have called Internet "the great disease
of 21st century".While special permits to use
Internet are available to selected Cubans, Internet
remains restricted for the vast majority of
Cubans.Mobile phones are rare.Foreign
journalists who can work in the country are
selected by the government.

Censorship in Cuba

Cuba was the second biggest prison in the
world for journalists in 2008, second only to the
People's Republic of China, according to The
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an
international NGO.The Committee to Protect
Journalists ranks Cuba as the world's fourth
worst place for bloggers, stating that:
“only government officials and people with links
to the Communist Party have Web access" and
"only pro-government bloggers can post their
material on domestic sites that can be easily
accessed".
The extent

It is forbidden to buy any computer equipment
without express permission from the
authorities. Although difficult, it is possible to
assemble a computer from parts bought on the
black market but the prices are prohibitive. The
state owns nearly all computers on the island.
As a result, Cuba has one of the world’s lowest
levels of computer ownership – 3.3 per 100
inhabitants, the same rate as Togo (source: the
International Telecommunication Union, 2005)
Is it justifiable?

Censorship, although harmful, does have
pro and contra arguments, according to
several areas of knowledge:
Pro
Crowd
control
Organization
National
security
• The common effects of
censorship understood a
lower percentage of riots and
rebellions because without
knowing harmful things, people
don’t rebel.
• Censorship often helped
governments organize their
ministries and civil
organizations in a better and
more effective manner, i.e.
Without harmful effects.
• The press and the media can
often usurp the masses causing
many a unsatisfied and unsafe
civilians.
Contra
Human rights
• People have a right to know,
and this is the fundamental
value of human rights.
Disinformation
• Censoring of the information
might lead to a wrong image
percieved by the society.
• Witholding information leads
to ignorance of the society.
Prevents the
free flow of
ideas
• Works against creativity.
• Political ideas are used to
improve countries rather than
destroy them.
Conclusion
From a political perspective, censorship
has rightfully always been associated to
dictatorship.
 It is a force against globalization, and
should not have a place in a modern
democratic society.
 Governments should not control people,
it should be the other way around.
