Libya inches up press freedom index
Libya has climbed six positions in Reporters Without Borders' (RSF) 2025 Press Freedom Index, now ranking 137th amongst 180 countries worldwide.
Despite this upward movement, Libya remains classified in the 'difficult situation' category, reflecting the significant challenges journalists continue to face.
The Libyan media environment remains deeply fragmented along political fault lines, a persistent legacy of the 2011 revolution. Rather than functioning as independent information sources, most news outlets operate as mouthpieces for competing political factions.
Journalists must navigate a patchwork of contradictory laws that offer minimal safeguards, with their personal safety consistently representing their most pressing concern.
While this modest improvement in Libya's ranking signals limited progress, press freedom advocates emphasise the urgent need for robust journalist protections, thorough investigations into attacks on media workers, and substantial legal reforms.
These measures are deemed essential to nurture independent journalism within Libya's complex and divided political landscape. The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Libyan Express.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include 'Op-Ed' in the subject line.
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