Key highlights of the Index:
- Top rankers: Norway is ranked first while Finland is second placed.
- Bottom rankers: Turkmenistan (at 180th) is now last, replacing North Korea (up one at 179th). China is ranked at 177th.
- South Asia: South Asia in general features poorly on the index, with Pakistan dropping three places to 142, and Bangladesh dropping four places to 150.
Indian scenario:
- India has dropped two places to be ranked 140th out of 180 countries.
- Violence against journalists including police violence, attacks by Maoist fighters and reprisals by criminal groups or corrupt politicians is a striking characteristics of the press freedom in India.
- At least six Indian journalists were killed in connection with their work in 2018.
- Attacks against journalists increased in the run-up to general elections in the spring of 2019.
- There is an alarming rate of coordinated hate campaigns waged on social networks against journalists who dare to speak or write about subjects that annoy Hindutva.
- Coverage of sensitive regions, such as Kashmir, continues to be very difficult. Foreign reporters are barred from Kashmir and the Internet is often disconnected there.
