Of Stefano Leszczynski
Since the birth of the report that has taken stock of press freedom at a global level for 25 years, 2025 is, so far, the darkest year in the history of journalism. For the first time, according to the latest World Press Freedom Index, more than 52% of countries present serious critical issues. If in 2002 a significant part of the population lived in contexts favorable to information, today less than 1% enjoys real freedom of the press. This drift is the result of a gradual but constant process: journalism is increasingly hampered by political pressures, economic difficulties and hostile regulations.
Among the indicators taken into consideration by the Report, the legislative one is the most deteriorated. Overall, press regulations have been tightened in more than 60% of states around the world. Among the main threats are the measures adopted regarding national security: tools created to protect states are often used to limit the right to information. As Anne Bocandé, editorial director of Reporters Without Borders, points out, the criminalization of journalism is now a global phenomenon. It not only affects authoritarian regimes, but also involves democracies, where emergency laws, reckless complaints and judicial proceedings are used to attempt to intimidate journalists.
Armed conflicts remain one of the main causes of the decline of press freedom. Countries such as Iraq, Sudan and Yemen are experiencing extremely difficult conditions. The situation in the Palestinian territories is particularly dramatic, where hundreds of journalists have been killed in recent years. At the same time, authoritarian regimes around the world continue to stifle all forms of independent information.
According to the Report, the American continent shows worrying signs. The United States drops seven places, falling between Botswana and Panama and reflecting an increasingly hostile climate towards the independent press. Even in Latin America there is a worsening, between violence linked to organized crime and political pressure. Countries such as Ecuador and Peru – the Report reveals – have slipped in the rankings after the killing of several journalists, while in Nicaragua and Cuba the media landscape is considered to be highly compromised.
Press freedom in the Western Balkans is also generally worsening, with Serbia ranking 104th, down eight places, and Bosnia and Herzegovina 90th, down four places.
However, there is no shortage of positive signs: Norway remains in first place for the tenth consecutive year, while Syria records the most significant improvement after the recent political changes. Despite this, the general picture remains alarming. Reporters Without Borders therefore launches a clear appeal: inaction equals complicity. Concrete measures are needed to protect journalists, strengthen legal guarantees and combat impunity. Freedom of the press, a pillar of democracies, is not guaranteed forever. Its future depends on political choices and the ability of citizens to defend it.
