Afghanistan Ranks Above Iran In Press Freedom Index, But Remains Among Worst Globally

Afghanistan has been ranked 175th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, placing it marginally ahead of Iran but still among the world’s most repressive environments for journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Released on Friday, 2 May, the annual RSF index gave Afghanistan a press freedom score of 17.88, just ahead of Iran, which ranked 176th with a score of 16.22. At the bottom of the list were Syria, China, North Korea, and Eritrea. In contrast, Norway, Estonia, and the Netherlands topped the index, recognised for their strong protection of journalistic freedoms.

Afghanistan’s position marks a slight improvement from 2024, when it ranked 178th with a score of 19.9. However, RSF continues to classify the country as facing a “very serious” situation for press freedom, placing it among the five worst nations globally for media rights.

The report attributes Afghanistan’s dire ranking to the Taliban’s growing repression of independent media and the widespread economic collapse of media outlets. According to RSF, financial instability has emerged as one of the gravest threats to press freedom worldwide, with three-quarters of global media organisations now facing severe economic difficulties.

“The conditions for practising journalism have deteriorated in half of the countries assessed,” RSF said, warning that without urgent support and reform, many media outlets face collapse. The organisation called for concrete action to safeguard press freedom, ensure access to reliable information, and support the survival of independent journalism.

Afghanistan has also been described as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. In 2024, it plummeted from 152nd to 178th in the rankings, with escalating crackdowns on media by the Taliban.

According to the Afghan Journalists Center, the Taliban closed 22 media outlets over the past year. The group also documented 172 cases of press freedom violations, including arrests, detentions, and intimidation of journalists.

In addition to media closures, the Taliban have imposed increasingly restrictive laws under the “Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” framework. This includes bans on broadcasting or publishing images of “living beings” a directive that has further crippled visual journalism and creative content.