RSF Index 2026: Press Freedom at 25-Year Low, Serbia Worst in Region

The latest World Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) paints a grim picture for journalism globally, revealing that press freedom has reached its lowest point in 25 years. For the first time in the index's history, more than half of the world's countries fall into the "difficult" or "very serious" categories regarding press freedom, with the overall average score for all 180 ranked countries and territories hitting a historic low.

Within the Western Balkans, the situation is particularly concerning. Serbia has slipped eight places to 104th, placing it in the "difficult situation" category and making it the worst-ranked country in the region. While Kosovo saw an improvement, moving up 15 places to 84th, it remains among the lowest-ranked in Europe. RSF notes that Albania (83rd, down three places), Bosnia and Herzegovina (90th, down four places), and Serbia are all hostile to journalism and vulnerable to propaganda, despite their aspirations to join the European Union.

Globally, the report identifies a significant trend towards the criminalization of journalism. RSF points to the proliferation of restrictive legislative frameworks, especially those tied to national security, as a key factor eroding the right to information, even in democratic nations. The legal indicator, one of the five used to assess press freedom, saw the largest decline this year, underscoring this worrying trend.

In the Americas, the United States has fallen seven places, and several Latin American countries, including Ecuador and Peru, are experiencing escalating violence and repression against journalists. Conversely, Norway maintains its top position for the tenth consecutive year, joined by the Netherlands, Estonia, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Ireland as the only countries with "good" press freedom. Eritrea remains at the bottom for the third year running, while Syria has shown the most significant improvement, climbing 36 places following the Assad era.

RSF poses a critical question about the future: "How much longer will we tolerate the stifling of journalism, the systematic harassment of journalists, and the continuous destruction of press freedom?" This sentiment underscores the urgency of addressing the global decline in press freedom.