Press Freedom Plummets to Lowest Point in 25 Years, What's Happening?
Jakarta - Press freedom worldwide has reportedly declined to its lowest point in the past 25 years. The latest report from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) describes this situation as a strong signal of the increasing criminalisation of journalism globally.
In the annual World Press Freedom Index, RSF evaluates 180 countries using a five-category scale, from “good” to “very serious”. For the first time since the index was published in 2002, more than half of the countries fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories.
“This is a clear sign that journalism is increasingly being criminalised worldwide,” RSF writes in its report, as quoted by Al Jazeera on Thursday (30/4/2026).
Only seven countries are rated as having “good” press freedom, dominated by Nordic nations. Norway, the Netherlands, and Estonia occupy the top positions. Meanwhile, France is ranked 25th with a “satisfactory” status.
On the other hand, the United States has dropped to 64th place in the “problematic” category, falling seven ranks since Donald Trump’s leadership. RSF assesses that Trump has turned attacks on the media into systematic policy.
“Repeated attacks on the press have now become structured policy,” RSF writes, referring to several cases, including the detention of journalist Mario Guevara from El Salvador while covering immigration protests before being deported, as well as the suspension of several public media outlets.
In the Latin American region, a sharp decline has also occurred in Argentina under President Javier Milei, which has dropped to 98th place. El Salvador is even at 143rd, plummeting drastically since the policy of war against criminal gangs was implemented.
RSF also highlights Eastern Europe and the Middle East as the most dangerous regions for journalists. Russia (ranked 172nd) and Iran (177th) are among the bottom 10.
Armed conflicts and restrictions on access to information are the main factors worsening this situation. RSF mentions attacks on journalists in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon, which have placed Israel at 116th.
“Since October 2023, more than 220 journalists have been killed in Gaza by the Israeli military, including at least 70 while on duty,” the report reveals.
Overall, more than 60% of countries, or 110 out of 180, are said to have criminalised media workers in various forms. Countries like India, Egypt, Georgia, Turkey, and Hong Kong are prime examples of such practices.
RSF’s Editorial Director, Anne Bocande, considers this situation increasingly worrying because the perpetrators of attacks on press freedom now act openly.
“Although attacks on the right to information are becoming more diverse and sophisticated, the perpetrators now operate openly,” she said.
She added that authoritarian states, political actors, predatory economic interests, and digital platforms with minimal regulation are the main drivers of this decline.