Armenia Improves Position in Press Freedom Index 2023

Armenia has climbed two notches up in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, released by the advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Armenia’s place in the Index, which evaluates the environment for journalism in 180 countries and territories is 49th. The Index is published on May 3, marked as World Press Freedom Day.

Armenia is listed in the category of countries that have a “satisfactory” situation in terms of press conditions.

The other countries of the region have the following position: Georgia is ranked 77th (the situation there is “satisfactory”), Turkey is 165th, Azerbaijan is 151st and Iran is 177th (in all these countries the situation is “very serious”).

Increased aggressiveness from autocratic governments – and some that are considered democratic – coupled with “massive disinformation or propaganda campaigns” has caused the situation to go from bad to worse, according to the list.

It says the situation is “very serious” in 31 countries, “difficult” in 42, “problematic” in 55, and “good” or “satisfactory” in 52 countries. In other words, the environment for journalism is “bad” in seven out of ten countries, and satisfactory in only three out of ten.

Norway is ranked first for the seventh year running. Ireland ranked 2nd, ahead of Denmark (down 1 place at 3rd).

There are changes at the bottom of the Index, too. The last three places are occupied solely by Asian countries: Vietnam (178th), China (down 4 at 179th), and North Korea (180th).