RSF Press Freedom Index ranks Belarus in bottom 15

May 2, Pozirk. Belarus ranks 166th of 180 assessed countries and territories in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
The ranking placed Belarus between Cuba and Azerbaijan, stressing that the country continues a massive crackdown on independent media outlets and journalists. Last year, it was down 10 places in the RSF Index after being 157th in 2023.
Belarus is one of the 34 countries, along with Nicaragua, Iran, Myanmar, Azerbaijan and Afghanistan, that stand out for the mass closures of their media outlets and exile of journalists in recent years, the RSF noted.
Access to independent information in Belarus is restricted due to “economic asphyxiation” of the media outlets operating from exile that are forced to carry out mass layoffs due to a lack of local revenue and US support, the analysis said.
Globally, press freedom is also threatened as the Index described the conditions for practicing journalism as “difficult” or “very serious” in over half of the world’s countries and satisfactory in fewer than one in four.
The world’s 10 best countries for journalists are Norway, Estonia, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
Russia, Nicaragua, Vietnam, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, China, North Korea and Eritrea conclude the ranking with the worst press freedom score.
On the eve of May 3, World Press Freedom Day, at least 40 media workers are behind bars in Belarus, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists.

Amnesty International: reprisals against media, civil society intensified in 2024
- PoliticsDeputy prime minister visiting Libya for second time in 2025The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsThree Homiel lawyers face criminal chargesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsIrregular Belarus-Latvia border crossings soaring since AprilThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: three women persecuted upon their return from abroadThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarusians arrested in Russia over cigarette smugglingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyDiaspora lacks resources to promote Belarus – opposition repThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- Politics, SecurityŁukašenka's regime aided Ukraine invasion – reportThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOver 200 sentenced for solidarity with Ukraine, Viasna estimatesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityUkraine, Russia exchanging prisoners at Belarus borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMielnikava was accompanied by Belarusian agent during 2023 vacation in Cuba – PolitykaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyRussia arrested some 1,000 people wanted in Belarus in 2024 – KubrakoŭThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy, PoliticsMinsk slams EU tariffs on Belarus’ fertilizers as “blatant protectionism”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsViasna: 135 people convicted over donations since 2020The material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyŁukašenka preparing successors for all positions except himself – sociologistThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsInterior ministry brands 17 people as extremistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyAcademy of Sciences unlikely to thrive under Karanik – researcherThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsForeign ministry official discusses cooperation with Italian diplomatThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka: relations with Georgia improvingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarusian, Russian central bankers meet in ViciebskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, SecurityLithuanian PM says his country successfully coping with irregular migrationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsŁukašenka appoints deputy heads of the central bank, district chiefsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMikałaj Rahaščuk appointed as Belarus’ ambassador to GeorgiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyCabinet extends licensing requirement for imports of OSB, fiber boardsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyTransport Insurance Bureau head Aŭsiejka fired on corruption groundsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyŁukašenka puts former Hrodna region head in charge of Academy of SciencesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarusian, Venezuelan foreign ministers discuss ways to boost economic tiesThe material is available only to POZIRK+