Legal repression becomes Asia’s main weapon against the press, blurring line between democracies and authoritarian regimes
Governments across Asia are increasingly using national security and other legal measures to restrict journalism, blurring distinctions between democratic and authoritarian systems, according to the 2026 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders.
The report found that the legal environment for journalism has deteriorated most sharply over the past year, globally and across Asia, with laws meant to protect national security or combat terrorism increasingly deployed to silence reporters, restrict access to information, and criminalize independent media work.
“Since 2001, the expansion of increasingly restrictive legal arsenals — particularly those linked to national security policies — has been steadily eroding the right to information, even in democratic countries,” RSF said.
Across Asia, the pattern is evident in both authoritarian states and formal democracies.
In the Philippines, ranked 114th, RSF cited the use of terrorism charges against journalists as a means of repression. The case of journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, who was convicted despite what RSF described as a lack of tangible evidence, illustrates how legal tools are used to silence critical reporting.
The Philippine situation has also been marked by deadly violence against journalists. RJ Nichole Ledesma, a community journalist based in Negros Occidental, was killed on April 19 during a military operation in Toboso town, where authorities reported a clash with communist rebels. Rights groups and media organizations said Ledesma was conducting immersion reporting and disputed claims that those killed were all combatants. His case is not yet reflected in the 2026 RSF Index.
In India (157th) and Myanmar (166th), authorities have relied on anti-terror laws to detain journalists, while in China (178th) and North Korea (179th), state control over information remains near absolute.
The trend extends to territories that once had more open media environments. In Hong Kong, ranked 140th, a sweeping national security law has enabled authorities to imprison independent publisher Jimmy Lai, who was recently sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Even in countries considered democratic, legal pressure on journalists is intensifying. In Japan (62nd), state secrets legislation continues to undermine journalistic work, particularly due to weak safeguards for source protection and editorial independence.
In Southeast Asia, RSF said political and business elites in countries such as Indonesia (129th), Singapore (123rd), and Thailand (92nd) exploit legal systems that fail to adequately protect the press.
RSF described the trend as the “criminalization of journalism,” driven by the misuse of laws and judicial processes.
“The misuse of national security laws, SLAPPs, and the systematic obstruction of those who investigate, expose and name names,” RSF Editorial Director Anne Bocandé said, are among the main factors behind the global decline in press freedom.
The 2026 Index shows that more than half of the world’s countries now fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories for press freedom, the highest proportion recorded since the index was launched 25 years ago. Overall, the global average score has dropped to its lowest level on record.
“For the first time in the history of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, over half of the world’s countries now fall into the ‘difficult’ or ‘very serious’ categories for press freedom,” the report said.
RSF warned that the tightening legal environment is part of a broader shift in how press freedom is curtailed.
“Journalism is being asphyxiated by hostile political discourse towards reporters, weakened by a faltering media economy, and squeezed by laws being used as weapons against the press,” the report said.
The findings point to a convergence in tactics across political systems in Asia, where legal frameworks are increasingly central to controlling information flows.
“Authoritarian states, complicit or incompetent political powers, predatory economic actors, and under-regulated online platforms are directly and overwhelmingly responsible for the global decline in press freedom,” Bocandé said.
RSF said that without stronger protections and accountability mechanisms, the trend is likely to deepen, further narrowing the space for independent journalism across the region.
“We need firm guarantees and meaningful sanctions,” Bocandé said. “The ball is in the court of democracies and their citizens.”
