New York, May 3 — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on World Press Freedom Day that media workers face mounting dangers worldwide and that a free press is essential to peace and human rights. He said journalists are often the first victims when truth is under threat, risking their lives not only in conflict but wherever power fears scrutiny.
Guterres listed the pressures on reporters — censorship, surveillance, legal harassment and even killing — and expressed alarm at a recent rise in journalists killed, particularly those deliberately targeted in war zones. He highlighted a systemic failure to protect media workers, citing that 85% of crimes against journalists go uninvestigated and unpunished, an ‘‘unacceptable level of impunity.’’
He warned of wider consequences: as reliable information fades, mistrust grows, public debate is distorted, social cohesion weakens, and crises become harder to prevent or resolve. Reinforcing press freedom’s foundational role, he said all other freedoms depend on it and urged the international community to protect journalists and ensure truth and truth‑tellers are safe.
The remarks coincided with Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index 2026, which finds global press freedom at its weakest since the Index began in 2002. The worldwide average score is 54.3 points, and more than half of the 180 countries surveyed now face “difficult” or “very serious” conditions. RSF reports that 52.2% of countries occupy the most troubled categories, up from 13.7% two decades ago, and that under 1% of the global population now lives in countries where the environment for journalism is “good,” down from about 20% in the early 2000s.
RSF attributes the decline to aggressive political rhetoric, financial instability in media, and increasingly repressive legislation. The legal environment for the press deteriorated the most over the past year, with over 60% of countries seeing a downturn, and authorities are reportedly using national security and anti‑terror laws as tools to curb reporting.
War zones remain the most dangerous places for reporters. RSF names Iraq, Sudan and Yemen among the hardest hit, and says the conflict in Gaza has resulted in the killing of more than 220 journalists since October 2023.
In the Index rankings, Norway retained first place for the tenth consecutive year, while Eritrea remained at the bottom for the third year running. Syria climbed 36 places following a reported political transition after the collapse of the Bashar al‑Assad administration in December 2024. The United States fell seven places to 64th, a decline RSF links to heightened political animosity toward the media and institutional decisions affecting international news agencies; RSF said US President Donald Trump’s frequent attacks on the press are now systematic and have contributed to the country’s lower ranking.
(This report is sourced from a syndicated feed and published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility for its accuracy or completeness.)
