The Press Freedom Index is an annual ranking of countries compiled and published by Reporters Without Borders since 2002 based upon the organisation's own assessment of the countries' press freedom records in the previous year. It intends to reflect the degree of freedom that journalists, news organisations, and netizens have in each country, and the efforts made by authorities to respect this freedom. Reporters Without Borders is careful to note that the index only deals with press freedom and does not measure the quality of journalism in the countries it assesses, nor does it look at human rights violations in general. [2]
The report is partly based on a questionnaire [3] using seven general criteria: pluralism (measures the degree of representation of opinions in the media space), media independence, environment and self-censorship, legislative framework, transparency, infrastructure, and abuses. The questionnaire takes account of the legal framework for the media (including penalties for press offences, the existence of a state monopoly for certain kinds of media and how the media are regulated) and the level of independence of the public media. It also includes violations of the free flow of information on the Internet.
Violence against journalists, netizens, and media assistants, including abuses attributable to the state, armed militias, clandestine organisations or pressure groups, are monitored by RSF staff during the year and are also part of the final score. A smaller score on the report corresponds to greater freedom of the press as reported by the organisation. The questionnaire is sent to Reporters Without Borders's partner organisations: 18 freedom of expression non-governmental organisations located in five continents, its 150 correspondents around the world and journalists, researchers, jurists and human rights activists. [2]
The methodology for the index was dramatically changed in 2022 from the methodology used from 2013-2021, and the thresholds for each categorization have been shifted accordingly. [4]
Countries are ranked on a scale from 0–100 points.
Country | 2022 [5] | 2021 [6] | 2020 [7] | 2019 [8] | 2018 [9] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Norway | (001) 92.65 | (001) 93.28 | (001) 92.16 | (001) 92.18 | (001) 92.37 |
Denmark | (002) 90.27 | (004) 91.43 | (003) 91.87 | (005) 90.13 | (009) 86.01 |
Sweden | (003) 88.84 | (003) 92.76 | (004) 90.75 | (003) 91.69 | (002) 91.69 |
Estonia | (004) 88.83 | (015) 84.75 | (014) 87.39 | (011) 87.73 | (012) 85.92 |
Finland | (005) 88.42 | (002) 93.01 | (002) 92.07 | (002) 92.10 | (004) 89.74 |
Ireland | (006) 88.3 | (012) 88.09 | (013) 87.40 | (015) 85.00 | (016) 85.41 |
Portugal | (007) 87.07 | (009) 89.89 | (010) 88.17 | (012) 87.37 | (014) 85.83 |
Costa Rica | (008) 85.92 | (005) 91.24 | (007) 89.47 | (010) 87.76 | (010) 85.99 |
Lithuania | (009) 84.14 | (028) 79.95 | (028) 78.81 | (030) 77.94 | (036) 77.80 |
Liechtenstein | (010) 84.03 | (023) 80.51 | (024) 80.48 | (026) 79.51 | (030) 79.51 |
New Zealand | (011) 83.54 | (008) 89.96 | (009) 89.31 | (007) 89.25 | (008) 86.38 |
Jamaica | (012) 83.35 | (007) 90.04 | (006) 89.49 | (008) 88.87 | (006) 88.67 |
Seychelles | (013) 83.33 | (052) 74.34 | (063) 71.34 | (069) 70.59 | (085) 69.83 |
Switzerland | (014) 82.72 | (010) 89.45 | (008) 89.38 | (006) 89.48 | (005) 88.73 |
Iceland | (015) 82.69 | (016) 84.63 | (015) 84.88 | (014) 85.29 | (013) 85.90 |
Germany | (016) 82.04 | (013) 84.76 | (011) 87.84 | (013) 85.40 | (015) 85.61 |
East Timor | (017) 81.89 | (071) 70.89 | (078) 70.10 | (084) 70.07 | (095) 69.19 |
Namibia | (018) 81.84 | (024) 80.28 | (023) 80.75 | (023) 81.05 | (026) 79.76 |
Canada | (019) 81.74 | (013) 84.75 | (016) 84.71 | (018) 84.31 | (018) 84.72 |
Czech Republic | (020) 80.54 | (040) 76.62 | (040) 76.43 | (040) 75.11 | (034) 78.11 |
Luxembourg | (021) 79.81 | (020) 82.44 | (017) 84.54 | (017) 84.34 | (017) 85.28 |
Latvia | (022) 79.17 | (022) 80.74 | (022) 81.44 | (024) 80.47 | (024) 80.37 |
Belgium | (023) 78.86 | (011) 88.31 | (012) 87.43 | (009) 87.93 | (007) 86.84 |
United Kingdom | (024) 78.71 | (033) 78.41 | (035) 77.07 | (033) 77.77 | (040) 76.75 |
Trinidad and Tobago | (025) 78.68 | (031) 78.45 | (036) 76.78 | (039) 75.26 | (039) 77.21 |
France | (026) 78.53 | (034) 77.4 | (034) 77.08 | (032) 77.79 | (033) 78.13 |
Slovakia | (027) 78.37 | (035) 76.98 | (033) 77.33 | (035) 76.42 | (027) 79.74 |
Netherlands | (028) 77.93 | (006) 90.33 | (005) 90.04 | (004) 91.37 | (003) 89.99 |
Argentina | (029) 77.28 | (069) 71.01 | (064) 71.22 | (057) 71.70 | (052) 73.95 |
Dominican Republic | (030) 76.9 | (050) 74.4 | (055) 72.10 | (055) 72.10 | (059) 73.21 |
Austria | (031) 76.74 | (017) 83.66 | (018) 84.22 | (016) 84.67 | (011) 85.96 |
Spain | (032) 76.71 | (029) 79.56 | (029) 77.84 | (029) 78.01 | (031) 79.49 |
Bhutan | (033) 76.46 | (065) 71.14 | (067) 71.10 | (080) 70.19 | (094) 69.27 |
Guyana | (034) 76.41 | (051) 74.39 | (049) 73.37 | (051) 73.37 | (055) 73.75 |
South Africa | (035) 75.56 | (032) 78.41 | (031) 77.59 | (031) 77.81 | (028) 79.61 |
Cape Verde | (036) 75.37 | (027) 79.91 | (025) 79.85 | (025) 80.19 | (029) 79.61 |
Ivory Coast | (037) 74.46 | (066) 71.13 | (068) 71.06 | (071) 70.48 | (082) 69.92 |
Taiwan | (038) 74.08 | (043) 76.14 | (043) 76.24 | (042) 75.02 | (042) 76.64 |
Australia | (039) 73.77 | (025) 80.21 | (026) 79.79 | (021) 83.45 | (019) 84.54 |
Moldova | (040) 73.47 | (089) 68.39 | (091) 68.84 | (091) 68.79 | (081) 69.99 |
Burkina Faso | (041) 73.12 | (037) 76.83 | (038) 76.53 | (036) 75.47 | (041) 76.67 |
United States | (042) 72.74 | (044) 76.07 | (045) 76.15 | (048) 74.31 | (045) 76.27 |
South Korea | (043) 72.11 | (042) 76.57 | (042) 76.30 | (041) 75.06 | (043) 76.49 |
Uruguay | (044) 72.03 | (018) 83.62 | (019) 84.21 | (019) 83.94 | (020) 84.44 |
Samoa | (045) 71.39 | (021) 80.76 | (021) 81.75 | (022) 81.75 | (022) 83.31 |
Sierra Leone | (046) 71.03 | (075) 70.39 | (085) 69.72 | (086) 69.64 | (079) 70.02 |
Belize | (047) 70.67 | (053) 72.39 | (053) 72.50 | (053) 72.50 | (047) 75.45 |
Croatia | (048) 70.42 | (056) 72.05 | (059) 71.49 | (064) 70.97 | (069) 71.06 |
Tonga | (049) 69.74 | (046) 75.41 | (050) 72.73 | (045) 74.59 | (051) 74.32 |
Gambia | (050) 69.25 | (085) 69.24 | (087) 69.38 | (092) 68.65 | (122) 61.64 |
Armenia | (051) 68.97 | (063) 71.17 | (061) 71.40 | (061) 71.02 | (080) 70.01 |
Suriname | (052) 68.95 | (019) 83.05 | (020) 82.50 | (020) 83.62 | (021) 83.56 |
Andorra | (053) 68.79 | (039) 76.68 | (037) 76.77 | (037) 75.37 | (037) 77.79 |
Slovenia | (054) 68.54 | (036) 76.9 | (032) 77.36 | (034) 77.69 | (032) 78.31 |
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States | (055) 68.49 | (045) 76.02 | (044) 76.22 | (050) 73.96 | (035) 77.89 |
Romania | (056) 68.46 | (048) 75.09 | (048) 74.09 | (047) 74.33 | (044) 76.35 |
North Macedonia | (057) 68.44 | (090) 68.33 | (092) 68.72 | (095) 68.34 | (109) 67.57 |
Italy | (058) 68.16 | (041) 76.61 | (041) 76.31 | (043) 75.02 | (046) 75.88 |
Niger | (059) 67.8 | (059) 71.56 | (057) 71.75 | (066) 70.74 | (063) 72.60 |
Ghana | (060) 67.43 | (030) 78.67 | (030) 77.74 | (027) 79.19 | (023) 81.59 |
Kosovo | (061) 67 | (078) 69.68 | (070) 70.67 | (075) 70.32 | (078) 70.39 |
Papua New Guinea | (062) 66.66 | (047) 75.12 | (046) 76.07 | (038) 75.30 | (053) 73.81 |
Montenegro | (063) 66.54 | (104) 65.67 | (105) 66.17 | (104) 67.26 | (103) 68.79 |
Mauritius | (064) 66.07 | (061) 71.26 | (056) 72.00 | (058) 71.54 | (056) 73.55 |
Cyprus | (065) 65.97 | (026) 80.15 | (027) 79.55 | (028) 78.26 | (025) 80.15 |
Poland | (066) 65.64 | (064) 71.16 | (062) 71.35 | (059) 71.11 | (058) 73.41 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | (067) 65.64 | (058) 71.66 | (058) 71.49 | (063) 70.98 | (062) 72.63 |
Ecuador | (068) 64.61 | (096) 67.17 | (098) 67.38 | (097) 68.12 | (092) 69.44 |
Kenya | (069) 64.59 | (102) 66.35 | (103) 66.28 | (100) 67.56 | (096) 69.18 |
Haiti | (070) 64.55 | (087) 68.88 | (083) 69.80 | (062) 71.00 | (060) 73.18 |
Japan | (071) 64.37 | (067) 71.12 | (066) 71.14 | (067) 70.64 | (067) 71.36 |
Kyrgyzstan | (072) 64.25 | (079) 69.63 | (082) 69.81 | (083) 70.08 | (098) 69.00 |
Senegal | (073) 63.07 | (049) 74.78 | (047) 76.01 | (049) 74.19 | (050) 74.39 |
Panama | (074) 62.78 | (077) 70.06 | (076) 70.22 | (079) 70.22 | (091) 69.44 |
Liberia | (075) 62.77 | (098) 66.64 | (095) 67.75 | (093) 68.51 | (089) 69.67 |
Nepal | (076) 62.67 | (106) 65.38 | (112) 64.90 | (106) 66.60 | (106) 67.95 |
Peru | (077) 61.75 | (091) 68.29 | (090) 69.06 | (085) 69.78 | (088) 69.73 |
Malta | (078) 61.55 | (081) 69.54 | (081) 69.84 | (077) 70.26 | (065) 72.56 |
Serbia | (079) 61.51 | (093) 67.97 | (093) 68.38 | (090) 68.82 | (076) 70.42 |
Malawi | (080) 61.4 | (062) 71.2 | (069) 70.68 | (068) 70.64 | (064) 72.57 |
Northern Cyprus | (081) 61.08 | (076) 70.18 | (077) 70.21 | (074) 70.33 | (077) 70.41 |
Chile | (082) 60.61 | (054) 72.11 | (051) 72.69 | (046) 74.35 | (038) 77.31 |
Comoros | (083) 60.16 | (084) 69.35 | (075) 70.23 | (056) 72.09 | (049) 74.70 |
Guinea | (084) 59.82 | (109) 64.58 | (110) 65.66 | (107) 66.51 | (104) 68.10 |
Hungary | (085) 59.8 | (092) 68.24 | (089) 69.16 | (087) 69.56 | (073) 70.89 |
Israel | (086) 59.62 | (086) 69.1 | (088) 69.16 | (088) 69.20 | (087) 69.74 |
Maldives | (087) 59.55 | (072) 70.87 | (079) 70.07 | (098) 67.84 | (120) 62.05 |
Lesotho | (088) 59.39 | (088) 68.30 | (086) 69.55 | (078) 70.26 | (068) 71.22 |
Georgia | (089) 59.3 | (060) 71.36 | (060) 71.41 | (060) 71.02 | (061) 72.66 |
Mongolia | (090) 59.17 | (068) 71.03 | (073) 70.39 | (070) 70.49 | (071) 70.95 |
Bulgaria | (091) 59.12 | (112) 62.71 | (111) 64.94 | (111) 64.89 | (111) 64.78 |
Guinea-Bissau | (092) 58.79 | (095) 67.32 | (094) 67.94 | (089) 69.05 | (083) 69.91 |
Congo | (093) 58.64 | (118) 61.17 | (118) 63.44 | (117) 63.96 | (114) 64.58 |
Tunisia | (094) 58.49 | (073) 70.47 | (072) 70.55 | (072) 70.39 | (097) 69.09 |
Botswana | (095) 58.49 | (038) 76.75 | (039) 76.44 | (044) 74.91 | (048) 74.71 |
Paraguay | (096) 58.36 | (100) 66.48 | (100) 67.03 | (099) 67.60 | (107) 67.68 |
Mauritania | (097) 58.1 | (094) 67.75 | (097) 67.46 | (094) 68.35 | (072) 70.91 |
Madagascar | (098) 58.02 | (057) 71.76 | (054) 72.32 | (054) 72.24 | (054) 73.80 |
Angola | (099) 57.17 | (103) 65.94 | (106) 66.08 | (109) 65.04 | (121) 61.64 |
Togo | (100) 57.17 | (074) 70.41 | (071) 70.67 | (076) 70.31 | (086) 69.77 |
Central African Republic | (101) 56.96 | (126) 58.08 | (132) 57.13 | (145) 52.73 | (112) 64.75 |
Fiji | (102) 56.91 | (055) 72.08 | (052) 72.59 | (052) 72.82 | (057) 73.45 |
Albania | (103) 56.41 | (083) 69.41 | (084) 69.75 | (082) 70.16 | (075) 70.51 |
Chad | (104) 56.18 | (123) 59.8 | (123) 60.30 | (122) 63.29 | (123) 61.55 |
Gabon | (105) 56 | (117) 61.4 | (121) 62.80 | (115) 64.40 | (108) 67.63 |
Ukraine | (106) 55.76 | (097) 67.04 | (096) 67.48 | (102) 67.54 | (101) 68.84 |
Burundi | (107) 55.74 | (147) 52.43 | (160) 44.67 | (159) 47.11 | (159) 44.74 |
Greece | (108) 55.52 | (070) 70.99 | (065) 71.20 | (065) 70.92 | (074) 70.81 |
Zambia | (109) 55.4 | (115) 61.79 | (120) 63.00 | (119) 63.62 | (113) 64.64 |
Brazil | (110) 55.36 | (111) 63.75 | (107) 65.95 | (105) 67.21 | (102) 68.80 |
Mali | (111) 54.48 | (099) 66.5 | (108) 65.88 | (112) 64.77 | (115) 63.85 |
El Salvador | (112) 54.09 | (082) 69.51 | (074) 70.30 | (081) 70.19 | (066) 72.22 |
Malaysia | (113) 51.55 | (119) 60.53 | (101) 66.88 | (123) 63.26 | (145) 52.59 |
Ethiopia | (114) 50.53 | (101) 66.37 | (099) 67.18 | (110) 64.89 | (150) 49.83 |
Thailand | (115) 50.15 | (137) 54.78 | (140) 55.06 | (136) 55.90 | (140) 55.69 |
Mozambique | (116) 49.89 | (108) 64.61 | (104) 66.21 | (103) 67.34 | (099) 68.88 |
Indonesia | (117) 49.27 | (113) 62.6 | (119) 63.18 | (124) 63.23 | (124) 60.32 |
Cameroon | (118) 49.1 | (135) 56.22 | (134) 56.72 | (131) 56.68 | (129) 59.08 |
Qatar | (119) 49.03 | (128) 57.4 | (129) 57.49 | (128) 57.49 | (125) 59.84 |
Jordan | (120) 48.66 | (129) 57.11 | (128) 57.92 | (130) 56.89 | (132) 58.29 |
Benin | (121) 48.39 | (114) 61.82 | (113) 64.89 | (096) 68.26 | (084) 69.84 |
Kazakhstan | (122) 48.28 | (155) 49.72 | (157) 45.89 | (158) 47.18 | (158) 45.59 |
Tanzania | (123) 48.28 | (124) 59.31 | (124) 59.75 | (118) 63.72 | (093) 69.35 |
Guatemala | (124) 47.94 | (116) 61.55 | (116) 64.26 | (116) 64.06 | (116) 63.83 |
DR Congo | (125) 47.66 | (149) 51.41 | (150) 50.91 | (154) 48.29 | (154) 48.40 |
Bolivia | (126) 47.58 | (110) 64.53 | (114) 64.63 | (113) 64.62 | (110) 67.55 |
Mexico | (127) 47.57 | (143) 53.29 | (143) 54.55 | (144) 53.22 | (147) 51.09 |
South Sudan | (128) 47.06 | (139) 54.22 | (138) 55.51 | (139) 54.35 | (144) 53.12 |
Nigeria | (129) 46.79 | (120) 60.31 | (115) 64.37 | (120) 63.50 | (119) 62.59 |
Lebanon | (130) 46.58 | (107) 65.07 | (102) 66.81 | (101) 67.56 | (100) 68.85 |
Eswatini | (131) 46.42 | (141) 53.66 | (141) 54.85 | (147) 50.91 | (152) 48.54 |
Uganda | (132) 46.35 | (125) 58.81 | (125) 59.05 | (125) 60.58 | (117) 64.23 |
Uzbekistan | (133) 46.35 | (157) 49.26 | (156) 46.93 | (160) 46.48 | (165) 39.16 |
Algeria | (134) 45.53 | (146) 52.74 | (146) 54.48 | (141) 54.25 | (136) 56.87 |
Morocco | (135) 45.42 | (136) 56.06 | (133) 57.12 | (135) 56.02 | (135) 56.87 |
Rwanda | (136) 45.18 | (156) 49.34 | (155) 49.66 | (155) 47.57 | (156) 47.10 |
Zimbabwe | (137) 44.94 | (130) 56.88 | (126) 59.05 | (127) 57.77 | (126) 59.47 |
United Arab Emirates | (138) 44.46 | (131) 56.87 | (131) 57.31 | (133) 56.37 | (128) 59.14 |
Singapore | (139) 44.23 | (160) 44.8 | (158) 44.77 | (151) 48.59 | (151) 49.05 |
Somalia | (140) 44.01 | (161) 44.53 | (163) 44.55 | (164) 42.76 | (168) 36.96 |
Equatorial Guinea | (141) 43.96 | (164) 44.33 | (165) 43.62 | (165) 41.65 | (171) 33.53 |
Cambodia | (142) 43.48 | (144) 53.16 | (144) 54.54 | (143) 54.10 | (142) 54.10 |
Libya | (143) 43.16 | (165) 44.27 | (164) 44.23 | (162) 44.23 | (162) 43.21 |
Brunei | (144) 42.53 | (154) 50.09 | (152) 50.35 | (152) 48.52 | (153) 48.52 |
Colombia | (145) 42.43 | (134) 56.26 | (130) 57.34 | (129) 57.18 | (130) 58.97 |
Sri Lanka | (146) 42.13 | (127) 57.8 | (127) 58.06 | (126) 60.39 | (131) 58.63 |
Philippines | (147) 41.84 | (138) 54.36 | (136) 56.46 | (134) 56.09 | (133) 57.47 |
Hong Kong | (148) 41.64 | (080) 69.56 | (080) 69.99 | (073) 70.35 | (070) 70.96 |
Turkey | (149) 41.25 | (153) 50.21 | (154) 49.98 | (157) 47.19 | (157) 46.50 |
India | (150) 41 | (142) 53.44 | (142) 54.67 | (140) 54.33 | (138) 56.76 |
Sudan | (151) 40.96 | (159) 47.07 | (159) 44.67 | (175) 27.55 | (174) 28.87 |
Tajikistan | (152) 40.26 | (162) 44.48 | (161) 44.66 | (161) 45.98 | (149) 49.94 |
Belarus | (153) 39.62 | (158) 49.18 | (153) 50.25 | (153) 48.34 | (155) 47.41 |
Azerbaijan | (154) 39.4 | (167) 41.23 | (168) 41.52 | (166) 40.87 | (163) 40.27 |
Russia | (155) 38.82 | (150) 51.29 | (149) 51.08 | (149) 49.69 | (148) 50.04 |
Afghanistan | (156) 38.27 | (122) 59.81 | (122) 62.30 | (121) 63.45 | (118) 62.72 |
Pakistan | (157) 37.99 | (145) 53.14 | (145) 54.48 | (142) 54.17 | (139) 56.76 |
Kuwait | (158) 37.87 | (105) 65.64 | (109) 65.70 | (108) 66.14 | (105) 68.09 |
Venezuela | (159) 37.78 | (148) 52.4 | (147) 54.34 | (148) 50.90 | (143) 53.97 |
Nicaragua | (160) 37.09 | (121) 60.02 | (117) 64.19 | (114) 64.47 | (090) 69.59 |
Laos | (161) 36.64 | (172) 29.44 | (172) 35.72 | (171) 35.51 | (170) 33.59 |
Bangladesh | (162) 36.63 | (152) 50.29 | (151) 50.63 | (150) 49.26 | (146) 51.38 |
Oman | (163) 35.99 | (133) 56.63 | (135) 56.58 | (132) 56.58 | (127) 59.33 |
Djibouti | (164) 35.75 | (176) 21.38 | (176) 23.27 | (173) 28.64 | (173) 29.23 |
Honduras | (165) 34.61 | (151) 50.65 | (148) 51.80 | (146) 51.47 | (141) 54.77 |
Saudi Arabia | (166) 33.71 | (170) 37.27 | (170) 37.86 | (172) 34.12 | (169) 36.87 |
Bahrain | (167) 30.97 | (168) 38.9 | (169) 39.87 | (167) 38.69 | (166) 39.15 |
Egypt | (168) 30.23 | (166) 43.83 | (166) 43.18 | (163) 43.53 | (161) 43.28 |
Yemen | (169) 29.14 | (169) 37.65 | (167) 41.75 | (168) 38.34 | (167) 37.77 |
Palestine | (170) 28.98 | (132) 56.82 | (137) 55.91 | (137) 55.32 | (134) 57.04 |
Syria | (171) 28.94 | (173) 29.37 | (174) 27.43 | (174) 28.22 | (177) 20.78 |
Iraq | (172) 28.59 | (163) 44.43 | (162) 44.63 | (156) 47.40 | (160) 43.44 |
Cuba | (173) 27.32 | (171) 36.06 | (171) 36.19 | (169) 36.19 | (172) 31.10 |
Vietnam | (174) 26.11 | (175) 21.54 | (175) 25.29 | (176) 25.07 | (175) 24.95 |
China | (175) 25.17 | (177) 21.28 | (177) 21.52 | (177) 21.08 | (176) 21.71 |
Myanmar | (176) 25.03 | (140) 53.86 | (139) 55.23 | (138) 55.08 | (137) 56.85 |
Turkmenistan | (177) 25.01 | (178) 19.97 | (179) 14.56 | (180) 14.56 | (178) 15.80 |
Iran | (178) 23.22 | (174) 27.3 | (173) 35.19 | (170) 35.59 | (164) 39.29 |
Eritrea | (179) 19.62 | (180) 18.55 | (178) 16.50 | (178) 19.74 | (179) 15.76 |
North Korea | (180) 13.92 | (179) 18.72 | (180) 14.18 | (179) 16.60 | (180) 11.13 |
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published materials, should be considered a right to be exercised freely. Such freedom implies the absence of interference from an overreaching state; its preservation may be sought through the constitution or other legal protection and security. It is in opposition to paid press, where communities, police organizations, and governments are paid for their copyrights.
Reporters Without Borders is an international non-profit and non-governmental organization with the stated aim of safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its advocacy as founded on the belief that everyone requires access to the news and information, in line with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that recognizes the right to receive and share information regardless of frontiers, along with other international rights charters. RSF has consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, and the International Organisation of the Francophonie.
Turkmenistan's human rights record has been heavily criticized by various countries and scholars worldwide. Standards in education and health declined markedly during the rule of President Saparmurat Niyazov.
Censorship in Myanmar results from government policies in controlling and regulating certain information, particularly on religious, ethnic, political, and moral grounds.
North Korea ranks among some of the most extreme censorship in the world, with the government able to take strict control over communications. North Korea sits at the bottom of Reporters Without Borders' 2022 Press Freedom Index, ranking 180 out of the 180 countries investigated.
World Day Against Cyber Censorship is an online event held each year on March 12 to draw attention to the ways that governments around the world are deterring and censoring free speech online. The day was first observed on 12 March 2008 at the request of Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International. A letter written by Jean-François Julliard, Secretary-General of Reporters Without Borders, and Larry Cox, Executive Director of Amnesty International, was sent to the Chief Executive Officers of Google, Yahoo!, Inc., and Microsoft Corporation to request observation of the day. The annual event is symbolized by a logo created by Reporters Without Borders consisting of a computer mouse breaking free from a chain.
Ukraine was in 96th place out of 180 countries listed in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index, having returned to top 100 of this list for the first time since 2009, but dropped down one spot to 97th place in 2021, being characterized as being in a "difficult situation".
Canada ranks among the highest in international measurements of government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic freedom, education levels, gender equality, public services, public security and environmental sustainability. It ranks among the lowest of the most developed countries for housing affordability, healthcare services and foreign direct investment.
These are the international rankings of Bahrain.
This list of Internet censorship and surveillance by country provides information on the types and levels of Internet censorship and surveillance that is occurring in countries around the world.
The International Research and Exchanges Board’s (IREX) Media Sustainability Index (MSI) is a tool to evaluate the global development of independent media. The MSI is one of the most important indices "to assess how media systems change over time and across borders", in addition to the Freedom of the Press Index compiled by Freedom House and the Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.
Censorship in Serbia is prohibited by the Serbian constitution. Freedom of expression and of information are protected by international and national law, even if the guarantees enshrined in the laws are not coherently implemented. However, instances of censorship and self-censorship have been reported; as of 2015 Serbia was deemed "partly free" as judged by Freedom House and ranked 59th out of 180 countries in the 2016 Press Freedom Index report compiled by Reporters Without Borders. According to the 2015 Freedom House report, media outlets and journalists in Serbia have been subject to pressure from politicians and owners over editorial contents. Also, Serbian media have been heavily dependent on advertising contracts and government subsidies which make journalists and media outlets exposed to economic pressures, such as payment defaults, termination of contracts and the like.
Media freedom in the European Union is a fundamental right that applies to all member states of the European Union and its citizens, as defined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights as well as the European Convention on Human Rights. Within the EU enlargement process, guaranteeing media freedom is named a "key indicator of a country's readiness to become part of the EU".
South Korea is considered to have freedom of the press, but it is subject to several pressures. It has improved since South Korea transitioned to democracy in the late 20th century, but declined slightly in the 2010s. Freedom House Freedom of the Press has classified South Korean press as free from 2002 to 2010, and as partly free since 2011.
Human rights in Lithuania have been the subject of much coverage. Lithuania scores 91 out of 100 in 2019 report by Freedom House, which classifies the country as "free", with high rankings in civil liberties and political rights. In particular, Lithuania ranks 30th among 180 countries, well above the world's average level in press freedom, and achieves a full score in freedom of assembly and nongovernmental organisations. However, there are concerns regarding children's welfare, domestic violence, discrimination against minorities including the Roma, Jews and LGBTI people, as well as inhumane treatments of prisoners. The Constitution of Lithuania guarantees the protection of human rights.
Freedom of the press in China refers to the journalism standards and its freedom and censorship exercised by the government of China. The Constitution of the People's Republic of China guarantees "freedom of speech [and] of the press" which the government in practice routinely violates with total impunity, according to Reporters Without Borders.
Freedom of the press in India is legally protected by the Amendment to the constitution of India, while the sovereignty, national integrity, and moral principles are generally protected by the law of India to maintain a hybrid legal system for independent journalism. In India, media bias or misleading information is restricted under the certain constitutional amendments as described by the country's constitution. The media crime is covered by the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which is applicable to all substantive aspects of criminal law.
Freedom of the press in Pakistan is legally protected by the law of Pakistan as stated in its constitutional amendments, while the sovereignty, national integrity, and moral principles are generally protected by the specified media law, Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002, and Code of Conduct Rules 2010. In Pakistan, the code of conduct and ordinance act comprises a set of rules for publishing, distributing, and circulating news stories and operating media organizations working independently or running in the country.
Freedom of the press in Bangladesh refers to the censorship and endorsement on public opinions, fundamental rights, freedom of expression, human rights, explicitly mass media such as the print, broadcast and online media as described or mentioned in the constitution of Bangladesh. The country's press is legally regulated by the certain amendments, while the sovereignty, national integrity and sentiments are generally protected by the law of Bangladesh to maintain a hybrid legal system for independent journalism and to protect fundamental rights of the citizens in accordance with secularism and media law. In Bangladesh, media bias and disinformation is restricted under the certain constitutional amendments as described by the country's post-independence constitution.
Freedom of the press in Myanmar refers to the freedom of speech, expression, right to information, and mass media in particular. The media of Myanmar is regulated by the law of Myanmar, the News Media Law which prevent spreading or circulating media bias. It also determines freedom of expression for media houses, journalists, and other individuals or organisations working within the country. Its print, broadcast and Internet media is regulated under the News Media Law, nominally compiled by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and international standards on freedom of expression.