Sri Lanka is ranked 150 of 180 states in the 2024 World Press Freedom (RSF) Index of the Reporters Sans Borders.
In 2023, Sri Lanka ranked 135 of 180 states.
RSF says that press freedom issues are closely tied to the civil war that ravaged the island until 2009, and to the still unpunished crimes of violence against many journalists when the Tamil rebellion was being crushed. “With a media sector lacking diversity and highly dependent on major political clans, journalism is still in danger in this country of 22 million inhabitants.”
Norway, Denmark and Sweden are placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the rank whereas Afghanistan, Syria and Eritrea are the last three countries.
India is 159, Pakistan is 152, China is 172 and Russia is 162.
