Report: Half the Globe’s Population Faces the Crisis of Freedom of Expression. The Score of the Republic of Moldova Decreases
More than half of the globe’s population, i.e. 53% or 4.2 billion people reside in countries where freedom of expression is in crisis. This is more population than at any other time in the 21st century. This data is included in the Global Expression Report 2024, a study based on 25 indicators assessing freedom of expression. Last year, the score of the Republic of Moldova also degraded, and freedom of expression in our country was assessed as “less restricted” instead of “open,” the description used a year ago.
The Global Expression Report analyzes the state of freedom of expression in 161 countries according to the score ranging from 0 to 100 for each country. According to the results, each state belongs to one of the five categories related to freedom of expression: open, less restricted, restricted, very restricted, or critical. During the last decade, the authors of the report have registered worsening situations in 78 countries.
To assess the global situation, the experts were guided by 25 indicators, including freedom of the press, religion, and academia.
This year, the Republic of Moldova gained 77 points, ranking 41st. From 2018 to 2023, Moldova’s score increased by 11 points. This year, however, our country is listed among the nine countries where freedom of expression decreased as compared to 2023. Therefore, the Republic of Moldova is classified in the same category as Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, India, Mongolia, Senegal, and Togo. It is the only state which used to belong to the “free” category where the situation has worsened.
The increase in the population residing in countries where freedom of expression is “in crisis” was determined by India which registered a 35-point decrease over the past decade after Narendra Modi became prime minister. During this time, the country had a decrease in 24 out of 25 indicators of freedom of expression included in the Global Expression indicator. According to the source, this year’s general elections in India are to be held in a context where the independent press is being silenced, and opposition parties, civil society, and religious minorities are faced with unprecedented attacks.
The example of Brazil which rose by 26 points during the last year is at the opposite pole: the country returned to the category of the states with the “open” freedom of expression. The score results from the departure of Jair Bolsonaro who headed the country from 2019 to 2023. Last year, Brazil registered a progress in 17 of the 25 indicators of freedom of expression.
The report demonstrates that less than a quarter (23%) of the global population live in environments of open and less restricted expression. Over the past ten years, 6.2 billion people in 78 countries have witnessed deterioration of freedom of expression, whereas only 303 million people in 18 countries have experienced some improvements.
Considering that elections are to be held in several countries in 2024, Article 19, the organization producing the report, has registered an increase in the number of cases of Internet blockages, as well as increasing state-sponsored propaganda campaigns aimed at influencing elections, according to the Voice of America.
