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Azerbaijan ranks among 10 worst countries in press freedom index

· One min read

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Azerbaijan has further declined in the global press freedom rankings, placing 171st out of 180 countries and territories, according to the World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on April 30.

Last year, Azerbaijan dropped from 164th to 167th place. In this year’s ranking, the country has fallen even further, placing it among the states where press freedom is most restricted.

For comparison, Belarus ranks 165th, Russia 172nd, and Turkmenistan 173rd.

In the region, Georgia dropped by 21 positions to 135th place. RSF attributes this decline to an ongoing democratic crisis, pressure on protests and their coverage, as well as restrictive laws concerning “foreign agents” and media funding.

Armenia ranks 50th, with its media environment described as “problematic.”

Earlier this year, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that more than 300 journalists are imprisoned worldwide, including 24 in Azerbaijan.