Latvia has dropped to 17th place among 180 countries and territories in the Press Freedom Index compared to 15th place a year earlier, according to the annual ranking published on Thursday by the international organization "Reporters Without Borders" (RSF), LETA reports citing DPA.
"Journalists in Latvia work in a relatively free and safe environment; however, political pressure on the media and access for the Russian-speaking population to reliable information from various sources remain a real problem," the report states.
Latvia has dropped in the index for the second consecutive year.
According to RSF, the situation regarding press freedom has worsened in 100 out of 180 countries and territories compared to the previous year, adding that for the first time in 25 years, the situation is assessed as difficult or very serious in more than half of the countries and territories worldwide.
Norway retained the top spot in the ranking, the Netherlands rose from third to second place, while Estonia fell from second to third.
Following in the top ten are Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Portugal.
Lithuania, which dropped one position to 15th place, is one line behind Germany, which ranks 14th.
The United Kingdom occupies 18th place, Canada 20th, France 25th, Poland 27th, Ukraine 55th, and Italy 56th.
The United States fell seven positions to 64th place. RSF points to instances of violence by police and immigration and customs officials against journalists, as well as cuts in funding for international broadcasting organizations from the U.S.
Syria showed the largest increase, rising from 177th to 141st place, where significant political changes occurred following the overthrow of dictator Bashar al-Assad.
The last ten places include Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, and North Korea, with Eritrea at the bottom of the list.
RSF notes that the most rapid global deterioration this year is observed in the legal environment, as journalism is increasingly restricted by laws under the pretext of combating terrorism or protecting national security.
The index evaluates 180 countries and territories based on safety, political context, legal regulation, as well as economic and social conditions affecting media freedom.
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