A LEADING press freedom organisation warned of a “cycle of fear” yesterday as it released its annual report highlighting increased attacks on journalists and media workers across the world.

In its 2019 world press freedom index, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that 2019 has seen hatred of journalists degenerate into violence creating a climate of fear.

“If the political debate slides surreptitiously or openly towards a civil war-style atmosphere, in which journalists are treated as scapegoats, then democracy is in great danger,” RSF secretary general Christophe Deloire said. 

“Halting this cycle of fear and intimidation is a matter of the utmost urgency for all people of good will who value the freedoms acquired in the course of history.”

RSF evaluated the state of journalism in 180 countries, basing its research on 87 questions completed by experts, local contacts and organisations.

Criteria assessed in the questionnaire were pluralism, media independence, media environment and self-censorship.

Also included is legislative framework, transparency, and the quality of the infrastructure that supports the production of news and information.

The number of countries regarded as safe for journalists to work in complete security continues to decline according to RSF, while authoritarian regimes continue to tighten their grip on the media.

The index shows that 37 per cent of countries are deemed problematic for journalists, 29 per cent are deemed as difficult, while the situation in 11 per cent of countries is very serious. 

Turkey remains the world’s biggest jailer of journalists and is the only country where a journalist — Pelin Unker — has faced charges for her reporting of the Paradise Papers scandal.

Ireland holds 15th place in the index, however RSF warned that highly concentrated media ownership was the “single largest threat” to press freedom in the country.

Mexico (144th) is described by the RSF as one of the “deadliest countries for media.”

Norway held the top spot for the third year running.