It is taken for granted or regarded lightly, but the relative freedom we enjoy in expressing ourselves through is heaven compared to the hell experienced by bloggers in other countries.

In naming the “worst online oppressors”, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) notes that “booming online cultures in many Asian and Middle Eastern nations have led to aggressive government repression”.

Leading the Worst 10 is Burma, the CPJ said.

If you go through the report, some countries mentioned as “oppressors” are prosperous places. But their governments do not give people the modicum of respect and the basic right to free expression. It is thus also instructive not to be lulled into complacency that repression would never succeed in this time and place. Tyrants have a way of putting one over slaves who take their rights and freedoms for granted.

Read the whole report here.

Avid bloggers should steer clear of these countries if and when they have a chance to travel, but perhaps the least we can do is to express support to the bloggers there as well as make a promise that we won’t let the Philippines fall into this of “online tyrants”.