An association of reporters promoting freedom of the press has called on North Korea to nullify the 12-year prison sentences it handed down to two detained American journalists.

Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday that the sentence is clearly designed to scare journalists from doing investigative reports in the border area between China and North Korea.

The North received the lowest ranking in Asia in terms of the Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee, two reporters of San Francisco-based Current TV, were detained by North Korea on March 17th while filming a documentary along the North's border with China.

The North tried the American detainees for five days from June fourth to the eighth and sentenced them to 12 years each in labor camps.