India drops down on World Press Freedom Index

India drops down on World Press Freedom Index

FPJ BureauUpdated: Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 12:10 AM IST
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London: India has dropped two places on a global press freedom index to be ranked 140th of 180 countries in the annual Reporters Without Borders analysis released on Thursday, with the lead up to the ongoing general election flagged as a particularly dangerous time for journalists.

The ‘World Press Freedom Index 2019′, topped by Norway, finds an increased sense of hostility towards journalists across the world, with violent attacks in India leading to at least six Indian journalists being killed in the line of their work last year.

“Violence against journalists – including police violence, attacks by Maoist fighters and reprisals by criminal groups or corrupt politicians – is one of the most striking characteristics of the current state of press freedom in India. At least six Indian journalists were killed in connection with their work in 2018. A number of doubts surround a seventh case,” the index noted.

These murders highlighted the many dangers that Indian journalists face, especially those working for non-English-language media outlets in rural areas, it said.  Attacks against journalists by supporters of ruling BJP increased in the run-up to general elections in the spring of 2019, the analysis alleged. Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), or Reporters Without Borders, is a non-profit organisation.

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