Switzerland has made significant strides in the global protection of press freedom, climbing to the ninth position among countries safeguarding journalistic liberties, as per the latest assessment

by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). However, despite this upward trajectory in rankings, the RSF branch in Switzerland notes a concerning deterioration in the actual state of press freedom within the country.

The 2024 evaluation awarded Switzerland 84.01 points, a marginal decrease from the previous year's 84.4. Interestingly, Switzerland's advancement owes less to its own improvements and more to the decline of three countries previously ranking higher: Lithuania, East Timor, and Liechtenstein, the latter now placed 15th instead of 11th.

According to RSF Switzerland, while Switzerland saw positive developments in the "security" indicator, with fewer instances of attacks on media professionals, challenges persist in the "Legal framework" domain. Switzerland's 27th rank in this category highlights concerns over the unresolved issue of applying criminal provisions of the Federal Banking Act to journalists, a matter RSF Switzerland emphasizes as crucial.

Moreover, RSF Switzerland underscores ongoing challenges in ensuring public access to information, citing various strategies employed to circumvent the principle of public access, which guarantees individuals' rights to government-held documents.

Beyond these specific indicators, RSF's global press freedom assessment considers the broader contexts of politics, economics, and socio-culture. Norway retains its position as the world leader in press freedom, with Denmark rising to second place. Conversely, Ireland's drop to eighth is attributed to instances of political intimidation against the media.

RSF International's findings paint a sobering picture of global press freedom, with only a quarter of countries maintaining satisfactory conditions for media professionals. Particularly alarming is the decline in the "political context" indicator globally, indicating a growing threat to press freedom emanating from political authorities themselves.

While Switzerland's ascent in the rankings is noteworthy, the internal challenges underscore the importance of continuous vigilance and advocacy to uphold press freedom in the country and globally, especially in the face of evolving threats and circumventions. Photo by Maurice Velati, Wikimedia commons.