'Dangerous nation for media': India's global press freedom ranking drops to 150 from 142

New Delhi: India's press freedom ranking has fallen down to 150th position from last year's 142nd out of 180 countries, according to Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, which published its 2022 World Press Freedom Index on May 3.

India has been termed as "one of the world's most dangerous countries for media" by the survey, with an average of three or four journalists getting killed every year.

The ranking of India in the World Press Freedom Index has been deteriorating since 2016, according to the latest edition. In the 2016 survey, India stood at the 133rd position, with its rank decreasing each year gradually.

"On the World Press Freedom Day, Reporters Without Borders and nine other human rights organisations ask Indian authorities to stop targeting journalists and online critics for their work," the international non-profit organisation said in a statement on its website.

"More specifically, they should stop prosecuting them under counterterrorism and sedition laws," it added.

The Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) said the Indian authorities should respect the right to freedom of expression and release any journalists detained on trumped-up or politically motivated charges for their critical reporting and stop targeting them and muzzling independent media.

"The authorities should also conduct prompt, thorough, independent, and impartial investigations into allegations of threats and attacks targeting journalists and critics, including from government officials," the RSF said, adding, "journalists should not have to risk their freedom and their lives to do their work."

About the global scenario, the RSF said the 20th World Press Freedom Index reveals a two-fold increase in "polarisation" amplified by information chaos, that is, media polarisation fuelling divisions within countries, as well as polarization between countries at the international level.

The ranking of India's neighbors, except that of Nepal, has also slid down, with the index placing Pakistan at 157th position, Sri Lanka 146th, Bangladesh 162nd, and Maynmar at 176th position, the report released by Reporters Without Borders said.

This year, Norway (1st) Denmark (2nd), Sweden (3rd) Estonia (4th), and Finland (5th) grabbed the top positions, while North Korea remained at the bottom of the list of the 180 countries and territories ranked by the Reporters Without Borders.