[45390] Global Press Freedom Report: Iran ranked among the most dangerous countries for journalists

[45390] Global Press Freedom Report: Iran ranked among the most dangerous countries for journalists

The organization 'Reporters Without Borders' reports that global press freedom is at a 25-year low, with Iran dropping to 177th place out of 180 countries.

A historic low in global press freedom

According to the annual report by Reporters Without Borders, global press freedom has plummeted to its lowest level in 25 years. Iran International notes that Iran has dropped to 177th place out of 180 countries, placing it in line with the most oppressive regimes in the world, with only China, North Korea, and Eritrea ranked below it.

The state of the press in Iran

In the report by Deutsche Welle Persian, it is emphasized that the Islamic Republic continues to exert heavy pressure on journalists through "arbitrary arrests, heavy sentences, and unfair trials." The organization notes that the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and his son Mojtaba, "are paving the way for arrests and severe punishment" of media personnel by using vague legislation that allows for repression under the pretext of "harming national security."

Global trends and wars

The report points out that armed conflicts are a major factor in the erosion of press freedom. According to Iran International, since October 2023, over 220 journalists have been killed in the Gaza Strip, at least 70 of them while performing their duties. At the same time, a decline has also been recorded in democratic countries, with the United States dropping seven places due to what the report calls "anti-media policies."

The organization's conclusion is that we are witnessing a "ossification of journalistic activity" around the world. While some improvement has been recorded in countries like Syria following political changes, the overall picture points to a shrinking of the free information space, both under authoritarian regimes and within democratic regimes that use "national security" laws to limit criticism.