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Freedom of the press is being challenged on all fronts , not least by those who should be guaranteeing freedoms , our political leaders . The latest report compiled by Reporters Without Borders ( RSF ), the World Press Freedom Index has demonstrated an overall worldwide fall in freedoms of journalists , a decline of 7.6 points over the previous year .
A growing number of governments and political authorities are not fulfilling their role as guarantors of the best possible environment for journalism and for the public ' s right to reliable , independent , and diverse news and information . RSF sees a worrying decline in support and respect for media autonomy and an increase in pressure from the state or other political actors .
“ As more than half the world ' s population goes to the polls in 2024 , RSF is warning of a worrying trend revealed by the 2024 World Press Freedom Index : a decline in the political indicator , one of five indicators detailed in the Index ,” explained Anne Bocandé , RSF Editorial Director . “ States and other political forces are playing a decreasing role in protecting press freedom . This disempowerment sometimes goes hand in hand with more hostile actions that undermine the role of journalists , or even instrumentalise the media through campaigns of harassment or disinformation . Journalism worthy of that name is , on the contrar .”
At the international level , this year is notable for a clear lack of political will on the part of the international community to enforce the principles of protection of journalists , especially UN Security Council Resolution 2222 . The war in Gaza has been marked by a record number of violations against journalists and the media since October 2023 . More than 100 Palestinian reporters have been killed by the Israel Defence Forces , including at least 22 in the course of their work .
Occupied and under constant Israeli bombardment , Palestine is ranked 157th out of 180 countries and territories surveyed in the overall 2024 World Press Freedom Index , but it is ranked among the last 10 with regard to security for journalists .
While 2024 is the biggest election year in world history , 2023 also saw decisive elections , especially in Latin America , that were won by self-proclaimed predators of press freedom and media plurality , like Javier Milei in Argentina ( down 26 to 66th ), who shut down the country ’ s biggest news agency in a worrisome symbolic act .
Elections are often accompanied by violence against journalists , as in Nigeria ( 112th ) and the Democratic Republic of Congo ( 123rd ). The military juntas that seized power in coups in the Sahel , especially Niger ( down 19 to 80th ), Burkina Faso ( down 28 to 86th ) and
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