Finland ranks 2nd in Press Freedom Index for 2nd year in row

Finland has been ranked second in the 2020 World Press Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) for the second consecutive year.

Norway ranked top in the index like last year while Denmark placed third followed by Sweden, The Netherlands, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Switzerland, New Zealand and Portugal.

North Korea was ranked bottom in the list of the 180 countries followed by Turkmenistan, Eritrea, China, Djibouti, Vietnam, Syria, Iran, Laos, Cuba and Saudi Arabia.

Finland was ranked fourth in 2018 after it had been ranked first in the World Press Freedom Index for five consecutive years until it was dethroned by Norway in 2017.

The 2020 World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), showed that the coming decade will be decisive for the future of journalism, with the Covid-19 pandemic highlighting and amplifying the many crises that threaten the right to freely reported, independent, diverse and reliable information.

“We are entering a decisive decade for journalism linked to crises that affect its future,” RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said.

“The coronavirus pandemic illustrates the negative factors threatening the right to reliable information, and is itself an exacerbating factor. What will freedom of information, pluralism and reliability look like in 2030? The answer to that question is being determined today,” Deloire added.