Hong Kong falls on the 140 in the Global Press Freedom Index with a historical low score.

This report was written by Tom Grundy and published on May 2, 2025 in Hong Kong Free Press. The following processed version is published as part of a content partnership agreement with Global Voices.

Hong Kong has overthrown five places in the annual reporters without borders (RSF) Press Freedom Index and entered the “red zone” – which means a “very serious” situation – for the first time alongside China.

The city fell by five places in 140th place between Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan. China fell to the 178th place by six places – only North Korea and Eritrea took lower.

The Aleksandra Bielakowska, Aleksandra Bielakowska, told HKFP: The Advocacy officer of the Wachhund Asian-Pacific Office of the Wachhund, Aleksandra Bielakowska:

At RSF we have never seen such a sharp and quick deterioration in the press freedom of a country or territory. Today Hong Kong is increasingly similar to neighboring China, the world's largest prison for journalists.

Hong Kong saw sharp burglaries in all five indicators of the guard dog: political context, legal framework, economic context, socio -cultural context and security, which added a historical low score of 39.86.

The free expression, the NGO, said: “The main factor for this decline is the deterioration of the political indicator (-7.28 points), in particular on the basis of the conviction of September 2024 for“ turmoil ”by Chung Pui-Kuen and Patrick Lam, former editor of stand News. This is the first assets against the media since the territory transferred to the territory over the territory via the territory in 1997 over the territory territory in the years in the year 7. “”

Before the day of the World Press Freedom on May 3, Bielakowska said on May 2 to HKFP: “Staff, harassment, doxxing, administrative pressure, surveillance and lack of financial sustainability define a dark daily reality for the few brave journalists who decided to stay in the territory. This often leads to Hong Kong on a different way: the reporting from exile. “

She quoted the lengthy national security case against the Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, the decree of a local security law in 2024 and the fact that hundreds of journalists fled to overseas, with foreign reporters exposed to a “weapons weapon weapon” that were similar in China. Bielakowska said:

Since the situation in Hong Kong repeatedly deteriorates, we can report stories from the city, despite the pressure, to continue the almost impossible work. These fearless specialists are not only exposed to state pressure, but also experience a difficult time to make ends meet. They are also often prevented from covering official events and entering press conferences. It is clear that the authorities have everything in their power to dissuade all critical voices from the reporting on site.

In April last year, Bielakowska in Taiwan was excluded from entry into Hong Kong. She was arrested, searched for and interviewed at the airport for six hours. The immigration department said it would not comment on the individual cases.

Despite the low rating, the Hong Kong government has declared that freedom of the press is still guaranteed. In 2022, the managing director John Lee said that Press Freedom was “in the pocket” of Honggermers, but “nobody is above the law”. Although he told the press that he should “tell a good story of Hong Kong”, hesitated government departments to react to story tone heights.

Norway hired the 2025 index, followed by the Netherlands and Estonia.

Freedom of the press is “not absolutely”

In response to the inquiries from HKFP, a government spokesman on May 2, “the unfounded and biased remarks from RSF,” and said that Hongkonter enjoys freedom of the press and freedom of speech in the sense of the mini constitution, the Bill of Rights and Security Laws. They added:

Nevertheless, freedom of the press and freedom of speech are not absolutely. The exercise of them may be subject to restrictions that are legally provided and are necessary for the pursuit of legitimate goals such as the protection of national security or public order.

Like everyone else, journalists are obliged to adhere to all laws. The most important point is that journalists act in good faith and on a precise factual basis and have to provide reliable and reliable and precise information in accordance with the principles of “responsible journalism” in order to protect the protection of their rights to freedom of speech and press.

They said that law enforcement “was based on evidence and strictly in accordance with the law,” added that 206 media organizations were registered with the government:

The media continue to enjoy freedom of commenting on government policy without limitation and criticizing as long as this does not violate the law.

A “new low”

In 42 countries, in which 56.7 percent of the world population of RSF were classified as “very serious” this year, press freedom lived as “very serious” this year, with less than 1 percent of the world population lived in territories in which press freedom is completely guaranteed. The press release from RSF said:

The results of the index have been warned of a global decline in press freedom for over ten years. In 2025, a new low arose: the average score of all rated countries fell below 55 points and fell into the category of a “difficult” situation. For the first time in the history of the index, the conditions for practicing journalism are poor in half of the world and in less than one of four.

This year's report also warned of economic threats to freedom of the press, whereby the technology gends dominated the spread of information and advertisements. It was named company like Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft and said:

These online platforms further hinder the information space by contributing to the spread of manipulated and misleading content and strengthening disinformation.

The editorial interference and the monopolization of media ownership were also a factor for the deterioration in freedom of the press, with serious threats to media quality in 46 countries.

The index said that “the financing is now directed to the government for the government” in Hong Kong, Peru and Tunisia.

The index also referred to the case of Palestine, in which the Israeli army killed almost 200 media experts and imposed a media blackout.

RSF uses an evaluation system based on a quantitative balance of abuse against the media and journalists in connection with their work, and a qualitative analysis of the situation in every country or area based on the answers of the press freedom specialists.

Freedom of the press in Hong Kong

Apart from the arrest of journalists in recent years, Hong Kong has recorded Raids on Newsrooms and the closure of around 10 media business, including Apple Daily, Stand News and Citizen News.

Last week, Channel C was the youngest independent media company, who hired the company for financial disputes and the arrest of one of the directors of his parent company for suspected government loan fraud.

Over 1,000 journalists have lost their work in Hong Kong, while many emigrated abroad. In the meantime, the government financed by the government has taken over new editorial guidelines and packed their archives and axed news and satirical shows.