DUSHANBE, February 13, 2015, Asia-Plus -- The Reporters Without Borders (RWB) World Press Freedom 2015 ranks Tajikistan 116th (down one place) among 180 countries in terms of press freedom.

RWB World Press Freedom 2014 ranked Tajikistan 115th (up eight places).

The RWB World Press Freedom Index ranks the performance of 180 countries according to a range of criteria that include media pluralism and independence, respect for the safety and freedom of journalists, and the legislative, institutional and infrastructural environment in which the media operate.

Top of the list, as so often, are three Scandinavian countries: Finland, which has been in first place for five years in succession, followed by Norway and Denmark.

At the other end of the scale, Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea, in last place, were the worst performers.

Russia is ranked 152nd (down four places).

The 2015 World Press Freedom Index highlights the worldwide deterioration in freedom of information in 2014.  Beset by wars, the growing threat from non-state operatives, violence during demonstrations and the economic crisis, media freedom is in retreat on all five continents.

The indicators compiled by RWB are incontestable. There was a drastic decline in freedom of information in 2014. Two-thirds of the 180 countries surveyed for the 2015 World Press Freedom Index performed less well than in the previous year.  The annual global indicator, which measures the overall level of violations of freedom of information in 180 countries year by year, has risen to 3,719, an 8 percent increase over 2014 and almost 10 percent compared with 2013.  The decline affected all continents.