India, May 3 -- Nepal advanced in the annual global ranking for press freedom this year compared to last year- not because the country improved, but because others did worse.

The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index for 2026 (pictured, above) places Nepal at an improved #87 rank, compared to #90 the previous year. However, the condition for journalists in the country has deteriorated from 'Problematic' in 2025 to 'Difficult' this year.

This is largely due to the pre-September government's crackdowns, which restricted press freedom with new laws and banned 26 social media platforms that helped spark the GenZ protests and led to regime change. But there are worrying signs that the new government is not doing much bett...