Kyrgyzstan has dropped 50 positions in the new 2023 World Press Freedom Index, taking 122nd place out of 180. The ranking was published by the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on May 3, on the World Press Freedom Day.
As the authors note, the government of Kyrgyzstan still controls all traditional media and is trying to extend its influence to privately owned outlets.
But a degree of pluralism exists, as seen in the popularity of news sites such as 24.kg, Kaktus.media and Kloop.kg, and the growth of investigative and data journalism.
«Officials in recent years have been trying to strengthen censorship and to promulgate laws to restrict press freedom. After a fruitless attempt in 2020, President Sadyr Japarov signed a law in 2021 to restrict dissemination of so-called «false information» — a law that violates the constitution as well as international treaties, and limits press freedom,» the organization notes.
Independent media are regularly condemned when they criticize the authorities, in particular for defamation. They are sometimes the target of cyber attacks following the publication of articles about corruption. Investigative journalists are targets of violence, as are reporters at rallies and demonstrations.
In general, the situation is «very serious» in 31 out of 180 countries and territories included in the ranking, it is «difficult» in 42, «problematic» in 55, and «good» or «satisfactory» in 52 countries. In other words, the environment for journalism is «bad» in seven out of ten countries, and satisfactory in only three out of ten.
Norway tops the press freedom index for the seventh year in a row. Next in the ranking are Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Estonia.
Russia takes the 164th place, Belarus — 157th, Uzbekistan — 137th, Tajikistan — 153rd, Kazakhstan −134th, Turkmenistan — 176th.
North Korea still takes the last, 180th place, in the ranking.
