Society

Armenia ranked 80th in 2017 Press Freedom Index

Armenia is ranked 80th among 180 countries in the 2018 Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders.

According to the report, “print media are diverse and polarized, investigative journalism flourishes online, but pluralism lags behind in the broadcast media. Legislative initiatives restricting the right of access to information, and reducing the transparency of public institutions are a source of concern.”

Other countries in the region are placed as follows: Russia – 148th, Georgia – 61st, Turkey – 157th, Azerbaijan – 163rd, Iran – 164th.

Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Finland and Switzerland are ranked as the countries with the highest degree of freedom for journalists.

North Korea ranked last, with Reporters Without Borders saying the country “continues to keep its population in ignorance and terror. Also at the bottom of the list, just ahead of North Korea, were Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and China.

The 2018 World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), reflects growing animosity towards journalists. Hostility towards the media, openly encouraged by political leaders, and the efforts of authoritarian regimes to export their vision of journalism pose a threat to democracies.

The climate of hatred is steadily more visible in the Index, which evaluates the level of press freedom in 180 countries each year.

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