The 2026 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) was published today.
According to the report, Armenia has registered a significant decline, ranking 50th out of 180 countries. Compared to 2025, when the country was in 34th place, Armenia has fallen by 16 points in just one year.
The report notes that the decline was recorded across all key indicators, resulting in the country moving from a “satisfactory” state to a “problematic” category.
The extreme polarization of the media landscape, an unprecedented level of disinformation and hate speech, which have been exacerbated by domestic political tensions and border security issues, were cited as the main reasons.
Despite this sharp decline, Armenia remains a regional leader, as the situation in neighboring countries is even worse. Georgia has fallen to 135th place, while Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Iran continue to remain at the bottom of the list.
