Georgia has fallen 21 places in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index 2026 to rank 135th out of 180 countries and territories, down from 114th in the previous year, marking a total drop of 75 positions over the past 25 years. According to RSF, a Paris-based press freedom watchdog, more than half of the world's countries fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories in 2026, with the organization noting that the average global score “has never been so low” in 25 years. Georgia is also classified as a “difficult” country. The Index, published on April 30, comes amid a restrictive environment for critical and independent media in Georgia, as part of a broader government crackdown on dissent.