Afghanistan Peace Campaign
Afghanistan ranks 175th in the 2025 Global Press Freedom Index, reflecting severe restrictions on media and declining journalistic freedom.
Afghanistan ranks 175th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), reflecting a persistently dire situation for media under Taliban rule. While the country climbed three spots from last year, its overall score of just 17.88 out of 100 underscores an ongoing crisis in media freedom.
On Friday, May 2, Reporters Without Borders released its annual report on global press freedom, stating that Afghanistan has ranked 175th out of 180 countries, highlighting the country’s ongoing media crisis under Taliban rule.
RSF reports that since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Afghanistan’s media environment has suffered severe setbacks. Independent journalism has been heavily restricted, media pluralism has largely disappeared, and journalists — particularly women — face targeted repression. According to RSF, Taliban authorities enforce rigid control over content, effectively allowing only state-approved narratives.
Afghanistan scores poorly across all five key indicators: political context, legal framework, economic environment, sociocultural factors, and safety of journalists. In the legal indicator, Afghanistan ranks 178th; in security, 175th; and in the economic domain, 165th. This multi-dimensional decline paints a picture of a deeply hostile environment for the press.
The report highlights that many female journalists have left the profession due to threats and coercion, particularly from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. Several media outlets have shut down, while others operate under fear and censorship, severely compromising journalistic independence and ethical reporting standards.
Globally, press freedom is also on the decline. For the first time since RSF began the Index, the global average score has dropped to a level categorized as “difficult situation” — worse than the previous “problematic” status. RSF attributes this decline to political pressure, economic hardship, media ownership concentration, and dwindling public trust in journalism.
While Norway retains its position as the freest country for media, RSF warns that nearly one-third of the global population now lives in countries where press freedom is described as “very serious”. Afghanistan is emblematic of this regression, standing out as one of the world’s harshest environments for journalists.
RSF has urged the international community to act decisively against the growing threats faced by Afghan journalists. The organization calls for concrete support for independent media and renewed advocacy for freedom of expression in Afghanistan. Failure to respond risks the total erasure of press freedom in a country already burdened by conflict and authoritarian control.
As press freedom continues to erode in Afghanistan, international advocacy, humanitarian support, and policy intervention remain critical. Sustained pressure on the Taliban and aid for embattled journalists — particularly women and minority voices — is essential to prevent further deterioration and preserve the remaining pillars of a free press.