Georgia drops 75 places in Press Freedom Index in recent years — Reporters Without Borders
Press Freedom Index in Georgia
According to Reporters Without Borders, the media environment in Georgia is expected to worsen in 2026 due to a domestic political crisis, repressive laws and growing pressure on journalists.
RSF says Georgia has dropped 21 places in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index compared with the previous year. The country ranked 114th out of 180 last year, with a score of 50.53, and now ranks 135th.
Alongside Hong Kong and El Salvador, Georgia is among the countries where press freedom has sharply declined in recent years due to political changes and increasingly repressive policies.
Georgia recorded its best ranking between 2019 and 2021, when it placed 60th. Since then, the country has dropped 75 positions.
A report by Reporters Without Borders, the World Press Freedom Index, says Georgia is facing a deep political crisis following disputed parliamentary elections in October 2024. The report warns the situation increases the risk of political control over the media.
“Although current legislation bans political parties from owning media outlets, major media companies often serve the interests of politically connected owners. At the same time, government influence over public media is growing, while contact with critical outlets is becoming increasingly rare and is accompanied by censorship, smear campaigns and intimidation,” the report says.
The report also says Georgia’s government has yet to implement EU recommendations on press freedom, a key requirement for opening accession talks with the European Union.
It says recent legislative changes have significantly worsened press freedom. These include the “foreign agents” law, which предусматривает criminal liability for media executives, as well as amendments to the broadcasting law that restrict foreign funding for broadcasters and expand the regulator’s powers.
The report also highlights media finances. It says the advertising market for print and online media is shrinking, with independent outlets particularly affected as they rely heavily on international donors.
“The introduction of restrictions on foreign funding has further weakened the financial sustainability of the media,” the report says.
The report also describes a socio-cultural environment that, it says, puts additional pressure on journalists. Polarisation in society over issues such as religion, LGBTQ+ rights and Russia’s influence also affects the media.
It says journalists covering these topics are particularly vulnerable and often become targets of verbal abuse, physical attacks and intimidation.
The report says attacks on journalists have become more frequent, while investigations remain ineffective, reinforcing a climate of impunity.
Press Freedom Index in Georgia
