World Press Freedom Day - May 3

➡️ PRESS FREEDOM DAY, May 3 – Bringing Truth to Light in Times of Darkness

Press Freedom Day is celebrated every year on May 3rd. It was introduced by UNESCO in 1993 to emphasise the importance of press freedom to democracy and human rights.

It also highlights the state of press freedom worldwide, and the threats and violations journalists face in pursuit of the truth. Freedom of the press is a fundamental right, but one that is restricted and under attack in many countries.

Over 85% of the world's population has experienced a decline in press freedom over the past five years. Only 0.8% of the world's population lives in areas where press freedom is fully guaranteed.

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Jump straight to our resources on ➡️ World Press Freedom Day

Explore our comprehensive guides on -

• Press Freedom
• Censorship & Under-Reported Stories
• Attacks on Journalists & The Press
• Organisations & Background Information
• Media Literacy
• Real News
• Exemplary Journalists & Whistleblowers

The 2026 theme for World Press Freedom Day is "Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development, and Security". This theme is especially poignant as Iran and Lebanon are currently under attack, the Russian invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth year, and the war in Gaza is due to enter its third.

The world is currently experiencing the highest number of armed conflicts since 1945 (the end of WWII), with a 65% increase in conflict-affected areas since 2021.

This year's global conference will take place in Lusaka, Zambia, from May 4–5, 2026. The conference will highlight the crucial role of independent journalism in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, while also tackling new threats such as artificial intelligence.

The State of Press Freedom

In 2025, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) documented the highest ever number of journalists and media workers who were killed - 129. A terrifying 47 of which were reported as intentional. Israel was responsible for over 60%.

An overwhelming majority of these deaths occurred in conflict regions.

Palestine is of particular concern. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, at least 262 journalists and media workers have been killed. Dozens more have been injured, and many are missing. Israel has arrested and imprisoned at least 140 journalists working in the occupied territory.

The 2025 annual report from Reporters Without Borders revealed that press freedom has reached a historically low point. They described the overall situation as "difficult" or "very serious" in more than 50% of the 180 countries assessed.

Working for the press has become more and more dangerous as repressive governments seek to hide the truth from public knowledge. Those reporting on wars and elections are the most at risk.

Threats to press freedom are a direct attack on democracy. In 2024, 64 countries went to the ballot, representing half the world's population. This was one of the biggest years for elections in history. Voters simply cannot make informed decisions without a wide range of critical opinions and independent viewpoints.

Independent journalism is banned in 36 countries. Even democratic societies such as Italy, Greece, Poland, and the USA rank low on the Press Freedom Index. Other than Palestine, countries of major concern for journalists' safety and the dissemination of truth include Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Russia, North Korea, Eritrea, and Turkmenistan.

The top 10 ranking countries are all European, with Norway, Estonia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland leading the way.

Another major concern is the rising threat of fake content, which distributes misinformation on a large scale, particularly on social media platforms. The unprecedented ability to tamper with content weakens journalism and undermines journalistic integrity.

The systematic involvement of politicians in massive disinformation or propaganda campaigns was also found to be widespread and is a danger to democracy in almost every country.

A terrifying precedent for journalism everywhere was the case of Julian Assange, who is now finally free. He spent 5 years imprisoned in the UK’s notorious Belmarsh prison for exposing the truth about U.S. war crimes to the public.

As the first publisher ever charged under the Espionage Act, publishers around the world live in fear of similar repercussions. The implications for global press freedom, human rights, and democracy are nothing short of terrifying.

Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis

The climate crisis is one of the planet's most pressing concerns. Visibility of the unprecedented issues we are facing is paramount to ensuring that efforts to address them are implemented.

Since the beginning of climate journalism, there have been significant challenges in obtaining and disseminating information on key issues, such as climate migration, the fossil fuel industry, illegal mining, pollution, wildlife trafficking, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.

Disinformation campaigns financed by Big Oil, designed to falsify scientific findings and downplay the consequences of climate change, lead to a lack of public and political support for climate action. It weakens international efforts to reduce emissions, safeguard our planet's resources, protect vulnerable communities, and promote sustainability.

The role of journalists in informing the public on environmental issues is crucial. Since 2008, over 376 million climate refugees have been created as they were forcibly displaced from their homes due to floods, earthquakes, droughts, and other natural disasters.

Climate-related extreme weather events will cost the global economy over $2 trillion annually by 2030, with costs escalating dramatically to an estimated $38 trillion per year by 2050 (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research)

These stories of loss, destruction, and injustices must be heard. Exposing the crisis is the first step to solving it, which is why we must protect and support the journalists who put their lives on the line to inform the public of what is happening across the planet.

Huge corporations and politicians try to avoid accountability as they continue to put profits over people. They try to silence (by any means necessary) the press, citizen journalists, and indigenous communities who uncover corruption, greenwashing, illegal activity, and theft.

Environmental journalism is the most dangerous field of journalism after war reporting. Between 2012 and 2024, 2,253 land and environmental defenders were killed. Latin America consistently ranks as the deadliest region, and Indigenous people are disproportionately targeted.

Perpetrators of attacks on journalists continue to enjoy high levels of impunity. As of 2024, an estimated 85% of journalist killings worldwide remain unresolved.

The increasing success of climate litigation has amplified the voices of these defenders and encouraged more communities and environmental groups to turn to the courts. With more courts ruling in favour of the environment, it is hoped this can be used as a tool to end impunity and ensure that companies and countries honour their environmental obligations.

"Without press freedom, we won't have any freedom. A free press is not a choice, but a necessity," - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Press Freedom for a Better World

Representing key pillars of democracy and peace, we must support the brave journalists who, despite significant challenges, are dedicated to informing the public with facts and inconvenient truths. As important promoters of investigative journalism, whistleblowers especially must be protected and recognised for their service to society and the strengthening of press freedom.

The public's right to transparency and information must be upheld. Better World Info advocates for freedom of speech, truth, internet freedom, and legal protections for anyone involved in disseminating accurate information.

“One of the best ways to achieve justice is to expose injustice.” - Julian Assange

German speakers should visit our partner site, Bessere Welt Info, for more information on Welttag der Pressefreiheit.

Author: Maximilian Stark, edited and translated by Rachael Mellor 09.05.24, Updated 25.04.26, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

For more information on World Press Freedom Day see below ⬇️