Brazil Drops Three Places in World Press Freedom Index

By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – The non-government organization (NGO) Reporters Without Borders (RSF in French) released its annual “World Press Freedom Index” report on Thursday, showing a deterioration of working conditions for journalists in Brazil last year.

According to the report, Brazil fell three places in the index ranking, from 102nd place in 2017 to 105th place in 2018. With the decline, Brazil is getting close to joining the countries colored red on the World Press Freedom map, noted the document. RSF says Brazil is in the worst position since the ranking began to be published in 2002.

“The past year has been particularly turbulent, with four journalists murdered and more attacks on independent journalists who cover subjects involving corruption, public policy or organized crime in small or mid-sized cities,” said the RSF.

According to the entity, President Jair Bolsonaro’s election in October 2018 came after a presidential campaign marked by hate speeches, disinformation and violence against reporters, which points to ‘a dark era for democracy and press freedom in Brazil’.

“The proliferation of disinformation strategies, particularly during the election period, and a public address increasingly focused on press criticism have leveled a sense of mistrust for journalists and journalists. A distrust that often materializes in hate speech, defamation campaigns, abusive judicial processes and ends up configuring a self-censorship,” said RSF director for Latin America, Emmanuel Colombié during a press conference in Rio on Thursday.

The report says that the world is facing a period of ‘fear mechanics’, showing that the hatred of journalists has turned into violence, increasing fear among media professionals.

“If the political debate slides surreptitiously or openly towards a civil war-style atmosphere, in which journalists are treated as scapegoats, then democracy is in great danger,” RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said in statement released by the entity.

“Halting this fear transmission mechanism is a matter of the utmost urgency for anyone who values the freedoms acquired in the course of history,” added the official.

Among those countries on the top of the Press Freedom Index, which denotes the most secure places for journalist to work are Norway, Finland and Sweden. In last place, with the worst conditions for journalists is Turkmenistan.