India’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index has slid down by 8 places to the 150th position from last year’s 142nd rank out of 180 countries, according to a report by a global media watchdog released on Tuesday.
The ranking of India’s neighbours, except that of Nepal, have also plummeted, with the index placing Pakistan at 157th position, Sri Lanka 146th, Bangladesh 162nd and Maynmar at 176th position, the report released by Reporters Without Borders said.
According to the RSF 2022 World Press Freedom Index, Nepal secured 76th position in the Index with a climb of 30 points. Last year, the Himalayan nation had been placed at 106th position, Pakistan at 145th, Sri Lanka 127th, Bangladesh 152nd and Myanmar at 140th position in the index.
“On the World Press Freedom Day, Reporters Without Borders and nine other human rights organisations ask Indian authorities to stop targeting journalists and online critics for their work,” the international non-profit organisation said in a statement on its website.
“More specifically, they should stop prosecuting them under counterterrorism and sedition laws,” it added.
This year, Norway (1st) Denmark (2nd), Sweden (3rd) Estonia (4th) and Finland (5th) grabbed the top positions, while Russia was placed at 155th position, down from 150th last year
China climbed the chart up by two positions with the Reporters Without Borders placing it at 175th position. Last year, it was placed at 177th position. Amidst all these, North Korea remained at the bottom of the list of the 180 countries and territories ranked by the Reporters Without Borders.
The Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) said that the freedom of expression of the journalists should be respected by the Indian authorities and journalists who have been detained on trumped-up or politically motivated charges for their critical reporting should be released. The press should be not targeted and muzzling of independent media should not occur.
“The authorities’ targeting of journalists coupled with a broader crackdown on dissent has emboldened Hindu nationalists to threaten, harass and abuse journalists critical of the Indian government, both online and offline, with impunity,” it said.
The RSF also commented on the 20th World Press Freedom Index that it reveals a two-fold increase in “polarisation” amplified by information chaos, that is, media polarisation fuelling divisions within countries, as well as polarisation between countries at the international level.
“Journalists have been incarcerated under draconian laws for flimsy reasons and on some occasions faced threat to their lives as well from self-styled custodians of law in the social media space,” the Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Club of India and Press Association added while reacting to the Index.
The freedom of press is integral to the functioning of a vibrant democracy, on this note they said the media has to come together “to reclaim its role towards realisation of this objective”.
Norway received the best score for press freedom followed by Denmark, Sweden, and Estonia.