News Center- Turkey has ranked 165 out of 180 countries in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index published by the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on the World Press Freedom Day, annually observed on May 3.

In the 2023 World Press Index, Turkey has ranked 165 out of 180 countries, sliding down 16 ranks because “The Erdogan administration in Turkey has stepped up its persecution of journalists in the run-up to elections scheduled for 14 May.”

According to the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, the situation is “very serious” in 31 countries, “difficult” in 42, “problematic” in 55, and “good” or “satisfactory” in 52 countries. Turkey is one of the 31 countries where the situation is “very serious”. “The environment for journalism is “bad” in seven out of ten countries, and satisfactory in only three out of ten,” said the index.

 In the index, Norway is ranked first, Ireland is ranked second and Denmark is ranked third. The last three places are occupied by Vietnam (178th), China (down 4 at 179th) and North Korea (180th).

‘The situation has gone from “problematic” to “very bad” in Turkey’

Turkey is one of the three countries where the situation of press freedom has gone from “problematic” to “very bad”. Turkey has ranked 165 out of 180 countries, sliding down 16 ranks because “The Erdogan administration in Turkey has stepped up its persecution of journalists in the run-up to elections scheduled for 14 May.”

 Turkey ranked 99 out of 180 countries in 2002, 151 in 2016, 155 in 2017, 157 in 2018 and 2019, 154 in 2020, 153 in 2021 and 149 in 2022.

In the recent pre-election crackdown on journalists, 25 journalists have been arrested in Amed (Diyarbakır) and Ankara.