But violence is often only used as a last resort. This has forced them to devise other laws - especially laws governing the press, that completely undermine these guarantees. Turkey is a prime example - whatever the press publishes or broadcasts is regulated by over one hundred different laws. The government is especially sensitive to criticism of its policies towards the country's Kurdish minority. Television stations risk losing their broadcast licenses.
Journalists risk prosecution.
One of the worst offenders is Iran. In the last year alone, the ministry of Islamic Guidance has banned over thirty newspapers and imprisoned 22 journalists. The closures have left almost no reformist daily newspapers on the streets. But the danger does not always come from the state. Many fatalities among journalists occur during civil-wars.