Lebanon Ranks 98th in World Press Freedom Index

Lebanon ranked 98th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index that was released by advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Wednesday.

World press freedom deteriorated in 2015, said RSF after it released the index which ranks the countries on indicators such as media independence, self-censorship, the rule of law, transparency and abuses.

This year's index saw a decline in all parts of the world, Christophe Deloire, secretary general of the Paris-based group said.

Many of the world's leaders have developed "a paranoia" about journalism and are clamping down on the media, while coverage in privately-owned outlets is increasingly shaped by corporate interests, said the watchdog.

Lebanon scored 31.95, a 0.14 point decline from the year before.

Among the lowest ranked countries were Syria, at 177th place out of 180, just below China (176th) but above North Korea (179th) and last placed Eritrea.

The index is based on a questionnaire filled out by experts around the world as well as on quantitative data on abuses and acts of violence perpetrated against reporters.

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