South Asia: IFJ launches 22nd annual South Asia Press Freedom Report

To mark World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), on behalf of the South Asia Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN), releases its 22nd annual South Asia Press Freedom Report, entitled 'Artificial Independence: The Fight to Save Media and Democracy'.

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The IFJ's South Asia Press Freedom Report for 2023-2024 (SAPFR 23-24),Artificial Independence: The Fight to Save Media and Democracy',explores the complex interactions between democracy, media economies, and the fundamental freedoms of the press and expression across the eight nations of South Asia from May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. Produced with support from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Norsk Journalistlag (NJ), European Commission (EC), and National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the report highlights struggles for the future of media amidst state crackdowns, political polarisation, challenges to democratic rights, lack of media sustainability, and economic turmoil.

The IFJ recorded a total of 232 media rights violationsin the period, including the targeted killings of 8 journalists and media workers. Journalists across the region faced attacks, arrests, and detention with at least 87 media professionals jailed or detained, and over 138 assaulted, threatened, or harassed, often by law enforcement. At the time of publication, at least 15 journalists remain behind bars.

With six nations in South Asia and over 2 billion people globally participating in elections in 2023 and 2024, the period was characterised by threats to democracy across the region, including physical violence, misinformation, political, religious, and ethnic divides, and polarised media coverage. The synergy between freedom of expression and robust democracy was apparent as controls on access to information, communications shutdowns, surveillance, and pressure on independent and critical media were used by autocrats to crush dissent.

Wage threats, job losses, shuttering of media houses, and precarious working conditions all posed serious questions for ongoing media viability, as many countries still battled severe economic crises following the Covid-19 pandemic. With the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in newsrooms and on social media in the region, journalists also faced unprecedented challenges to the very practice of their craft as misinformation and disinformation continued to take hold.

Despite these challenges, trust in the media is not completely lost, with dynamic and dedicated digital outlets, fact-checking collectives, and social media initiatives offering a view of an independent media future in an era of increasing corporate control. Union action, new legislation and protections, and a spirit of collectivism have proved vital in securing better conditions across the spectrum of labour rights, gender equality, and the representation of youth and media professionals from religious and ethnic minorities.

The SAPFR 23-24 was formally launched on May 2 at UNESCO's 2024 World Press Freedom Day event at Transparency International Bangladesh's headquarters in Dhaka. The event was attended by representatives of the IFJ and its affiliates.

The IFJ said: "Without media, there is no democracy, and as press freedom in South Asia continues to come under attack amid government crackdowns, political polarisation, economic crises, and digital disruption, journalists have persisted to hold the powerful to account and ensure the real story is told. As misinformation and disinformation run rife, never has it been more important for collective solutions at all levels of society to create safeguards for media and support fact-based independent journalism on a broad scale. Real investment is needed to ensure ongoing media viability in the region, with journalists actively involved to find solutions, drive agendas and uphold media as crucial democratic infrastructure."

The SAPFR 23-24 is now available online: Artificial Independence: The Fight To Save Media and Democracy

Individual chapters are also available to download below:

• Overview & Special Reports
• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• Bhutan
• India
• Maldives
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka