AGI – The Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine are negatively impacting freedom of information and the fate of journalists, who are under heavy attack in Russia, China and the entire Asian continent in general. The organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has sounded the alarm on the occasion of World Press Day and published its 2022 ranking on the “health” of information and the practice of the profession in 180 countries worldwide. All in all, the RSF notes in particular a sharp deterioration in press freedom in almost the entire Asian continent, classified in a “very serious” situation.
Moscow observes special
Within a year, 12 Asian countries have joined this black circle, which has never been bigger and which includes Afghanistan and Belarus, among others. China is ranked 175th, which at number 180 confirms itself as an increasingly repressive regime, even if North Korea is doing worse. The poor record in Beijing is motivated by the decision of power depriving the population of information from the rest of the world in full pandemic.
Russia, which has been closely watched since invading Ukraine on February 24, ranks 155th, five places less than 2021with a vote of 38.82 points against 51.29 last year.
All signs point to red for a situation of freedom of information that has been very critical for years and that has continued to deteriorate and expand in the context of the war with Kyiv. The main reasons for concern and criticism from the RSF relate to the regime’s massive propaganda and its suppression of dissident voices.
The independent Russian media had to shut down, including the emblematic Novaya Gazeta, helmed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov. More than 200 independent journalists had to leave the country to collect information in exile. For those who have stayed at home trying to do their jobs – including Tatiana Felgengauer in the past at Moscow’s Eco – the Russian authorities have absolutely banned them from uttering the word war, publishing independent investigations, identifying people and Inventory reports to communicate the conflict in order not to be arrested and end up in prison.
Norway, Denmark and Sweden the virtuous
The first three places in the RSF ranking went to Norway, Denmark and Sweden. Germany moves up to 16th place, while France at 26th place moves up eight positions. The United States comes in at number 42, Italy in 58th place (last year 41st place)Japan at number 71, Algeria at number 134. At the bottom of the index are Iran, Eritrea and North Korea.
Apart from authoritarian regimes, he expresses concern about one thing in his RSF report it is becoming increasingly evident in democratic countries, defined as “Fox newsization of the media,” a neologism referring to the US television network. “Media polarization amplifies and fuels divisions within society,” the organization criticized, noting that “rising social and political tensions are being accelerated by social networks and new media, particularly in France.”
According to the RSF, the ever-increasing development of opinion media amplifies and trivializes information. “It is a fatal danger for democracies because undermines the foundations of civil harmony and tolerant public debatesaid Christophe Deloire, Secretary General of the RSF. The NGO is therefore calling for a “New Deal” for journalism and “an appropriate legal framework, including a system to protect democratic information spaces”.