China among world's 10 most dangerous countries for media professionals: Report

Global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that press freedom in Asia continues to see a decline, with 26 out of 31 countries falling on its annual index.

According to the group's latest press freedom index, Asia is the second-most difficult region for practicing journalism.

Reportedly, five countries in the region -- Myanmar, China, North Korea and Vietnam -- are among the world's 10 most dangerous countries for media professionals in the 2024 rankings, VOA reported.

Moreover, none of the countries in the Asia-Pacific region are in the top 15 ranking for press freedom.

Three of the world's remaining communist governments, China, North Korea and Vietnam, have long been near the bottom of RSF's press freedom index ranking of 180 countries.

This year, China was ranked 172, Vietnam 174 and North Korea 177, according to VOA.

Overall, these countries and territories that have shown a drop in press freedom in recent years, contributing to East Asia becoming a difficult place for media to operate.

Additionally, Hong Kong was once a model for press freedom in the Asia region, but the city's ranking recently dropped from 80 to 148 following political unrest and new laws that affect media freedoms.

Since Beijing's move to impose national security law in 2020, at least a dozen media outlets have closed.

Beijing said that the law has been necessary to stabilize the city following mass political unrest in 2019, reported VOA.

Aleksandra Bielakowska, an advocacy officer at RSF, emphasised that Hong Kong's media freedoms still haven't improved.

"The worst for Hong Kong is the political and legal factors. Hong Kong's position is very low; the situation remains very difficult," she said. (ANI)