Armenia improves its position in Reporters Without Borders press freedom index

YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières (RSF)) has published its 2024 Press Freedom Report, placing Armenia 43rd out of 180 countries. In 2023, Armenia was ranked 49th.

The report states that, despite a pluralistic environment, the media remain polarised. The country is facing an unprecedented level of disinformation and hate speech, especially over the Nagorno-Karabakh territorial dispute and the ongoing threat of war with Azerbaijan.

Social media, accessed daily by two-thirds of the population, is the main source of information. The report also mentions other countries in the region.

For example, Azerbaijan’s press freedom ranking has fallen from 151st to 164th place compared to last year.

“While President Ilham Aliyev has destroyed any semblance of pluralism, he has, since 2014, waged a merciless war against any remaining critics,” the report says.

Georgia’s ranking also fell from 77th to 103rd place compared to last year.

 “Official interference undermines efforts to improve press freedom,” the report says. The Islamic Republic of Iran ranks 176th in the table, an improvement from 177th last year. Turkey has improved, moving up from 165th to 158th in the previous year.

 “With authoritarianism gaining ground in Turkey, media pluralism is being called into question. All possible means are used to undermine critics,” the report says.