Afghanistan Ranked at the Bottom of Global Press Freedom Index

Photo: RSF

Reporters Without Borders, in its latest annual report on the global state of press freedom, has announced that Afghanistan ranks 175th out of 180 countries.

This report was released on Friday (May 2) and describes the overall condition of press freedom around the world as "difficult."

According to the organization's findings, at least 12 media outlets in Afghanistan were forced to shut down in 2024 due to severe restrictions and newly imposed policies by the Taliban.

The report also states that economic pressure is one of the major and growing challenges for media outlets worldwide, a factor that has negatively impacted the sustainability of media institutions.

Reporters Without Borders has also warned that the dominance of major tech companies such as Google and Facebook over the distribution of information and advertising revenues has significantly weakened the media economy.

Based on the report, media outlets in 160 out of the 180 evaluated countries, which is about 89 percent, are facing severe difficulties or an inability to achieve financial stability.

In 42 countries that are home to more than half of the world’s population, the situation of press freedom has been assessed as "very serious."

Another part of the report highlights that media ownership being concentrated in the hands of individuals linked to political and economic powers poses a major threat to diversity and plurality in the media landscape.

This comes as the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan has led to widespread restrictions on media activities, and working conditions for journalists have become increasingly difficult. International organizations have repeatedly warned about violations of press freedom and the suppression of media in Afghanistan.