Press freedoms: Switzerland is out of the top ten

Switzerland dropped four places in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Press Freedom Index 2022, and now sits at 14th spot. This drop is due to a change in methods, but there are also economic and legislative aspects that weigh heavily.

Switzerland is among the countries where the state of press freedom is considered « fairly good », while since 2016 it was in the top ten in the ranking, this was announced by RSF today in its annual report. Overall, the Swiss Confederation remains a safe country for journalists, where the political environment continues to be favorable.

However, the media landscape remains exposed to various economic developments, such as a relentless decline in newspaper diversity and falling revenues. The media aid package that was rejected in a vote on Feb. 13 leaves the situation unresolved, notes RSF,  calling on the government to take matters into its own hands.

There are several gaps in the legislative framework. The increasing number of provisional measures sought - and often obtained - against the media shows that Switzerland is not safe from so-called «muzzle» procedures.

A tightening of such measures, which were approved by the Council of States last year and a committee of the National Assembly at the beginning of the year, «sends the wrong signal». The «Suisse Secrets» case has highlighted the threats to freedom of information that the criminal banking secrecy provisions pose.

Against the backdrop of the coronavirus health crisis, 2021 was also marked by a sharp increase in the number of verbal and even physical attacks on media personnel, particularly on the sidelines of demonstrations by people opposed to health measures.  

On the 20th edition of its world ranking, the organization has modified its philosophy, which now considers five new parameters: political, legal, economic, socio-cultural and security contexts. The comparison between the 2021 and 2022 rankings must therefore be viewed with caution, explains RSF. The new methodology has had an impact on Switzerland's ranking.

28 countries are considered as «very serious»: 12 countries, including Belarus (153.) and Russia (155.) entered the «red list» of rankings. Other countries with the most repressive press regulations include China (175.), Burma (176.), Turkmenistan (177.), Iran (178.) and Eritrea (179.). Last in the ranking is North Korea (180.).

Norway, on the other hand, takes first place, and is followed by Denmark and Sweden: the three Nordic countries remain the democratic model where freedom of expression thrives most.