Global press freedom at a 25-year low as authoritarian pressure grows
RSF’s World Press Freedom Index shows global press freedom at its lowest level in 25 years, with more than half of the 180 countries rated as “difficult” or “very serious” and less than 1% of people living in “good” conditions. The decline is driven by expansive national-security laws, restrictive legal tools, hostile politics, and a struggling media business model, impacting democracies as well as autocracies. The US drops to 64nd place; Russia under Putin uses anti-terror and other laws to curb reporting. Argentina and El Salvador are singled out for significant declines, and more than 220 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. The report calls for ending journalism criminalisation and SLAPPs, protecting reporters, and ensuring access during conflict, noting safety concerns in the UK and highlighting Syria’s notable improvement while Eritrea remains last.
