Slip of two places to 35th in large part blamed on death of Lyra McKee and arrest of two reporters

The UK has again slipped down the World Press Freedom Index, in large part due to threats made to reporters in Northern Ireland.

The journalist Lyra McKee was killed last April while reporting on unrest in Derry, and police inappropriately obtained warrants to raid the homes of the investigative reporters Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey.

A man has been charged with murder, which he denies, in relation to the death of 29-year-old McKee. Birney and McCaffrey spent almost a year on bail without charge after they highlighted apparent collusion between the police and suspected murderers in the 1994 Loughinisland massacre.

The annual press freedom list, produced by the campaign group Reporters Without Borders, surveys the state of the media in 180 countries and territories. It concluded the UK had slipped two places to number 35 on the list, below countries including Costa Rica, Ghana and South Africa. The top spot went to Norway for the fourth year running.

The organisation’s UK director, Rebecca Vincent, said: “We were shocked by some of the reports we received from journalists in Belfast and Derry, who are clearly among the most at-risk reporters in the UK.

“As we remember and honour Lyra McKee, we must also act to protect those who continue to take great risks to report information in the public interest. These issues must be addressed by the UK authorities as a matter of urgent priority to prevent further acts of violence.”

Although the UK last year hosted a big-budget international press freedom summit, the organisation highlighted serious concerns regarding the country, including the Met police’s decision to treat the publication of leaked diplomatic cables that forced out the UK’s ambassador to Washington DC as a criminal matter.

Reporters Without Borders also highlighted the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s 50-week prison sentence for breaking bail conditions, saying he should be released immediately rather than face extradition to the US. The organisation also called on the UK government to make good on its promise, made last July, to launch a national committee for the safety of journalists.

The coronavirus pandemic is listed as a major threat to journalism, with governments taking advantage of the lockdown to impose media restrictions at the same time as many outlets are facing financial collapse.

The annual index is based on a survey of local media experts assessing issues such as the level of media independence, transparency, and the quality of infrastructure that supports the production of news and information.

Malaysia and the Maldives registered the biggest rises in the 2020 index after recent changes of government, followed by Sudan, which rose 16 places to 159th after the removal of Omar al-Bashir as president. The biggest decline was in Haiti, where journalists have often been targeted during violent nationwide protests. Comoros and Benin also fell down the list owing to press freedom violations.

Best countries for press freedom

1. Norway

2. Finland

3. Denmark

4. Sweden

5. Netherlands

6. Jamaica

7. Costa Rica

8. Switzerland

9. New Zealand

10. Portugal



26. Australia

35. United Kingdom

45. United States

Worst countries for press freedom

171. Cuba

172. Laos

173. Iran

174. Syria

175. Vietnam

176. Djibouti

177. China

178. Eritrea

179. Turkmenistan

180. North Korea