Uzbekistan rises one place to 147th in 2026 Press Freedom Index

Uzbekistan ranked 147th out of 180 countries in the 2026 Press Freedom Index, improving by one position compared to last year, according to Reporters Without Borders.

Despite the slight improvement, the country remains in the “difficult” category, alongside other Central Asian states. Regional rankings show Kyrgyzstan at 146th, Kazakhstan at 149th, Tajikistan at 155th, and Turkmenistan at 173rd.

The 2026 index highlights a broader global decline. For the first time in its history, more than half of all countries were classified as having a “difficult” or “very serious” press freedom situation. Overall, around 75% of countries now fall into “problematic” or worse categories, while 52.2% are considered “difficult” or “very serious,” a sharp increase from just 13.7% in 2002.

According to the report, the global average score has reached its lowest level in 25 years. Expanding legal restrictions, often linked to national security policies, have increasingly limited access to information—even in democratic countries. The legal indicator recorded the steepest decline over the past year, signaling a growing criminalization of journalism worldwide.

Global disparities remain significant. Norway retained its position as the world leader for the tenth consecutive year, while Eritrea ranked last for the third year in a row. Syria recorded the largest improvement, climbing 36 positions to 141st following political changes.

Ongoing conflicts have also heavily impacted rankings. Countries such as Iraq (162nd), Sudan (161st), and Yemen (164th) saw declines driven by instability and violence. The situation in Gaza Strip remains particularly severe, where more than 220 journalists have reportedly been killed since October 2023 during military operations involving Israel.

Elsewhere, Iran ranked 177th, while Russia fell to 172nd. In contrast, Ukraine improved by seven positions, reaching 55th place.