The Maldives has dropped six places on the annual "Press Freedom Index" released by Reporters Without Borders after assessing the state of press freedom across the world.
The Maldives ranked in 106th place as a "difficult" country (for practising journalism) in the global press freedom index published on Friday. One notable reason considered by Reporters Without Borders for the Maldives' score was an evidence law passed and ratified last year with the authority for courts to compel journalists to disclose sources of information.
The Maldives was ranked 100th in the "problematic" category last year.
The bill undermined the constitutional right to press freedom in the Maldives, Reporters Without Borders noted, characterizing it as an obstacle to press freedom.
Scores on indicators used to evaluate press freedom
- Political indicator: The Maldives scored 43.48 this year after 53.75 last year, dropping from the 97th rank last year to the 109th rank this year.
- Economic indicator: The Maldives scored higher than last year with an increase to 136.04 and ranked 133 from a score of 32.84 and ranked 161 last year.
- Legislative indicator: The Maldives ranked 98th with a score of 59.91 last year. But this year's score was 54.42 at rank 111.
- Social indicator: The Maldives fell from rank 124 with a score of 55.68 last year to rank 131 with a score of 48.10 this year.
- Security indicator: The Maldives fell significantly from the 57th rank with a score of 82.48 last year to the 80th rank with a score of 79.76 this year.
While the Maldives was ranked lower this year, the state of press freedom in other countries in the region was worse. Neighboring India was ranked 159th with a "very serious" state of press freedom. Pakistan was ranked 152nd and Sri Lanka was ranked 150th.
