Malta has retained its 81st position in the annual World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters without Borders (RSF) on Tuesday.

The country had also placed in 81st position last year, down from 45th position in 2013.

The report finds that journalism was at least partly blocked in nearly three-quarters of the 180 countries surveyed. 

RSF says more than three years after the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, the climate of press freedom in Malta is still a cause for concern.

The case finally saw progress in February with the long-awaited arrest of more men in connection with the murder.

The public investigation into this crime has helped to reveal elements of political interference, police cover-up and collusion with the perpetrators. Attempts by new Prime Minister Robert Abela to end the public inquiry before it comes to an end were blocked by the judges of the inquiry committee.

Several libel lawsuits against Caruana Galizia have been posthumously upheld, including those brought by former members of the government like Joseph Muscat.

Other examples of strategic public participation lawsuits, or SLAPP, have taken place, including to pressure the journalist's son, Matthew Caruana Galizia, and other Maltese journalists, the report said.

"The silencing of the press by the political structure, discrimination in access to information and an ineffective judiciary system continued to hamper public interest investigations and pose threats to journalists in their profession."

Governments used pandemic to worsen repression

The index found that 73 countries "totally blocked or seriously impeded" journalism, while it was "constrained" in 59 others, adding that many governments had used the pandemic to worsen repression. 

"Journalism is the best vaccine against disinformation," RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said in a statement. 

"Unfortunately, its production and distribution are too often blocked by political, economic, technological and, sometimes, even cultural factors."

Eritrea, North Korea, Turkmenistan, China and Djibouti fared worst overall in this year's RSF ranking. 

Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Costa Rica were ranked highest. 

The Middle East and North Africa region continues to be the most repressive for journalists, the report found, highlighting the worsening situation in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria over the past year. 

"In this region, still the toughest and most dangerous for journalists, the pandemic has exacerbated the problems that have long plagued the press, which was already in its death throes," it said. 

Malaysia recorded the worst deterioration, down 18 places in the ranking to 119, due in part to a recent "anti-fake news" law "allowing the government to impose its own version of the truth".

RSF said the global level of media freedom remained largely stable overall for the past year, but noted that the figures had deteriorated by 12% since the ranking was first launched in 2013. 

Part of the problem is falling trust in journalists, fuelled by political polarisation and online misinformation. 

RSF noted a recent survey by the Edelman Trust that found 59% of respondents across 28 countries believed journalists deliberately misled the public. 

The World Press Freedom Index is based on questionnaires sent to experts around the world, combined with data on abuse and acts of violence against journalists to form a picture that includes pluralism, media independence, self-censorship and other factors.

 

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