World Press Freedom Day – It is the duty of the State to ensure that the media serves citizens and democracy

 

2 May 2026, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

World Press Freedom Day serves as a reminder of the crucial importance of responsible, independent, and pluralistic media for every modern society.

Internationally, the state of press freedom is deteriorating at an alarming rate. Hundreds of journalists are silenced, imprisoned, or murdered—simply because they are doing their jobs. According to the Press Freedom Index by ‘Reporters Without Borders’ for 2025, more than half of the world’s population lives in countries where press freedom faces serious challenges, while less than 8% enjoy satisfactory levels of freedom of information.

The situation in Cyprus leaves no room for complacency. According to the same index, Cyprus ranks 77th out of 180 countries in 2025, marking a significant drop in its position compared to 2024, when it ranked 65th.

This development highlights the serious weaknesses in our country’s media system. The rise of authoritarian tendencies, interference by political authorities and powerful economic interests, the increasing concentration of the ownership of mass media outlets, and the job insecurity that pressures journalists, reinforces self-censorship and creates an environment that undermines citizens’ right to credible information.

A telling example is the introduction of a number of government bills in recent years that directly or indirectly criminalize freedom of expression and abolish journalistic confidentiality, as well as the attempt to discredit the journalists’ collective body, e.g. the arbitrary disregard of press credentials issued by the Union of Cyprus Journalists.

In a world where information travels at the speed of light and public opinion is shaped by algorithms, press freedom is being put to the test. Faced with economic pressures, political interference, strategic lawsuits against public participation, tech giants, artificial intelligence, and misinformation, the journalistic voice is fighting to be heard clearly and responsibly.

AKEL underlines that press freedom demands that it will be constantly defended through institutional safeguards, transparency with regards media ownership, protection of journalists, and the strengthening the media’s independence from political and economic centres.

AKEL calls on the State to take substantive measures to improve the situation in Cyprus so as to ensure that the media serves citizens and democracy.