Media under fire: Sudan slides to 161/180 in 2026 World Press Freedom Index
Sudan continues its relentless slide to the bottom of global press freedom rankings, as the 25th World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders corroborates the unceasing pressure, restrictions, and attacks on journalists and media workers in the country, and the adverse effects of ongoing conflict.
In the 25th World Press Freedom Index published by international press freedom advocacy group Reporters Without Borders today, Sudan is rated 161st out of 180 countries, having dropped to 156th in 2025 from 149th in 2024.
As frequently reported by Radio Dabanga, attacks on journalists have become systematic and organised, threatening the public’s right to information and prospects for peace. The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate has recorded 110 violations in just one year, and since the outbreak of the conflict in April 2023, journalists and media outlets have been subjected to more than 500 violations. This all occurs with impunity, which makes journalists and media professionals ‘fair game’ to be targeted by both sides.
‘The war in Sudan is not just a conflict of arms, but a battle for truth. The silencing of the pen is a tragedy for the Sudanese people and a threat to democracy everywhere…’ — Kamal Elsadig, Editor in Chief, Radio Dabanga
“The war in Sudan is not just a conflict of arms, but a battle for truth. The silencing of the pen is a tragedy for the Sudanese people and a threat to democracy everywhere. We must stand together to ensure that the voices of Sudanese journalists are not silenced,” says Kamal Elsadig, Editor in Chief of Radio Dabanga, and chair of the Sudan Media Forum in recent comment on this station.
The 25th World Press Freedom Index comes at a time when “political pressure on the press is intensifying, authoritarian tendencies are growing and the media market is heavily weakened,” Reporters Without Borders laments. “This year, the Index’s analysis highlights an alarming deterioration in the conditions for journalism in many parts of the world, despite some isolated improvements, as 100 out of 180 countries and territories have seen their press freedom score decline.”
The index shows that in Africa, press freedom largely remains in a very deteriorated state. It also underlines that in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, “the state of press freedom is the most catastrophic according to the 2026 Index, with 18 out of 19 countries classified as ‘very serious’ (11) or ‘difficult’ (7)”.
Wars and restrictions on access to information
In its commentary, Reporters Without Borders underlines that “in some countries, such as Iraq (162nd), Sudan (161st) and Yemen (164th), recurring armed conflict is the primary reason for this decline in press freedom… Since October 2023, more than 220 journalists have been killed in Gaza by the Israeli army, including at least 70 who were slain while carrying out their work. The same is true in Sudan (-5) and South Sudan (118, -9).”
Press freedom at a 25-year low
For the first time in the history of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, over half of the world’s countries now fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories for press freedom. In 25 years, the average score of all 180 countries and territories surveyed in the Index has never been so low. Since 2001, the expansion of increasingly restrictive legal arsenals — particularly those linked to national security policies — has been steadily eroding the right to information, even in democratic countries. The Index’s legal indicator has declined the most over the past year, a clear sign that journalism is increasingly criminalised worldwide. In the Americas, the situation has evolved significantly, with the United States dropping seven places and several Latin American countries sliding deeper into a spiral of violence and repression.
Anne Bocandé, RSF Editorial Director: “By providing a retrospective of the past 25 years, RSF isn’t just looking back — it’s looking squarely at the future with a simple question: how much longer will we tolerate the suffocation of journalism, the systematic obstruction of reporters and the continued erosion of press freedom? Although attacks on the right to information are more diverse and sophisticated, their perpetrators are now operating in plain sight. Authoritarian states, complicit or incompetent political powers, predatory economic actors and under-regulated online platforms are directly and overwhelmingly responsible for the global decline in press freedom. Given this context, inaction is a form of endorsement. It’s no longer enough just to state principles — effective measures to protect journalists are essential and must be seen as a catalyst for change. This starts with ending the criminalisation of journalism: the misuse of national security laws, SLAPPs, and the systematic obstruction of those who investigate, expose and name names. Current protection mechanisms are not strong enough; international law is being undermined and impunity is rife. We need firm guarantees and meaningful sanctions. The ball is in the court of democracies and their citizens. It is up to them to stand in the way of those who seek to silence the press. The spread of authoritarianism isn’t inevitable.”
Five key takeaways from the 2026 RSF World Press Freedom Index:
- The average score for all countries and territories worldwide has never been so low. For the first time in the Index’s 25-year history, more than half the world’s countries now fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories for press freedom.
- Out of the five indicators used to assess press freedom worldwide — which determine the economic, legal, security, political and social environments for journalism — the legal indicator has seen the sharpest decline this year.
- The United States has fallen seven places and other countries in the Americas, such as Ecuador and Peru, have plummeted in the ranking.
- Norway holds the top spot for the tenth consecutive year, while Eritrea comes in last for the third year in a row.
- Post-Assad Syria has seen the biggest improvement in press freedom of all the countries and territories in the 2026 Index, climbing 36 places in the ranking.
(Source: Reporters Without Borders 25th World Press Freedom Index)
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