Armenia drops one notch in Press Freedom Index 2018

YEREVAN, October 31 /ARKA/. Armenia has dropped one position in the Press Freedom Index 2018 compiled annually by the Reporters Without Borders, to the 80th place out of 180 surveyed countries.

According to the Paris-based media watchdog, the print media in Armenia is diverse and polarized, journalistic investigations are carried out on the Internet, but broadcast media lack pluralism. It also says legislative initiatives that restrict the right of access to information and reduce the transparency of state institutions are of concern.

The Reporters Without Borders believes that impunity prevails in Armenia when journalists are physically attacked. It says in 2017, at least 30 claims of libel were filed against the founder of the website Sut.am in connection with the coverage of cases of alleged election fraud.

In the Press Freedom Index 2018 Armenia is ahead of all CIS countries and most of its neighbors in the region. It is ahead of Moldova (81), Kyrgyzstan (98), Ukraine (101), Russia (148), Tajikistan (149), Belarus (155), Turkey (157), Kazakhstan (158), Azerbaijan (163), Iran (164), Uzbekistan (165) and Turkmenistan (178), but is behind Estonia (12), Latvia (24), Lithuania (36) and Georgia (61).

The top three leaders in the ranking are Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands, while North Korea is the outsider.

The index has been compiled since 2002, based on such indicators as pluralism, media independence, security and freedom of journalists. -0-

Read the news first and discuss them in our Telegram

16:05 10/31/2018