Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq fell to 162nd out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters without Borders (RSF) on Thursday, as the watchdog pointed to persistent conflicts and deteriorating conditions for journalists in several parts of the world.

The ranking places Iraq seven spots lower than last year, with RSF linking the decline to rising risks faced by Iraqi journalists both online and in the field, alongside growing pressure surrounding coverage of sensitive issues, including wars in the Middle East.

In the Middle East and North Africa, Mauritania placed highest at 61st, followed by Qatar at 75th and Morocco at 105th. Lebanon came in at 115th. Syria recorded the most notable improvement, climbing from 177th to 141st following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

Israel slipped four places to 116th, with RSF attributing the shift to the impact of the ongoing war in Gaza. The Palestinian territories posted a slight improvement, reaching 156th.

South Sudan placed 118th, Oman stood at 127th, Kuwait at 136th, Tunisia at 137th, and Libya at 138th. Jordan came in at 142nd, Algeria at 145th, and the United Arab Emirates at 158th. Sudan stood at 161st, Iraq 162nd, Yemen 164th, Egypt 169th, and Bahrain 170th.

Saudi Arabia entered the bottom ten for the first time, placing 176th, a move partly linked to the execution of journalist Turki al-Jasser, RSF noted. Iran followed at 177th.

The organization classifies countries into four categories: good, satisfactory, problematic, and very serious. For the first time in the index’s 25-year history, more than half of the countries assessed fell into the two lowest categories. The report also estimated that only one in 100 people worldwide now lives in a country with a diverse and healthy media landscape.

Read more: The New era of control: Can Iraq's free press survive its politically-tainted rulers?