Reporters Without Borders

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Protest action in Paris, April 2008, displaying a 'Reporters Without Borders (RSF)' flag depicting the Olympic rings in the form of handcuffs or padlocks, along with the legend 'Beijing 2008'

Reporters Without Borders (RWB; Template:Langx; RSF) is an international non-profit and non-governmental organization headquartered in Paris, which focuses on safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its advocacy as founded on the belief that everyone requires access to the news and information, in line with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that recognises the right to receive and share information regardless of frontiers, along with other international rights charters.<ref>RSF Annual Report 2018, p5</ref> RSF has consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, and the International Organisation of the Francophonie.<ref name="RSFPresentation">Template:Cite web</ref>

RSF works on the ground in defence of individual journalists at risk and at the highest levels of government and international forums to defend the right to freedom of expression and information. It provides daily briefings and press releases on threats to media freedom in French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Persian and Chinese and publishes an annual press freedom round up, the World Press Freedom Index, that measures the state of media freedom in 180 countries.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The organisation provides assistance to journalists at risk and training in digital and physical security, as well as campaigning to raise public awareness of abuse against journalists and to secure their safety and liberty. RSF lobbies governments and international bodies to adopt standards and legislation in support of media freedom and takes legal action in defence of journalists under threat.<ref>RSF Annual Report 2018, pp14-16</ref>Template:Primary source inline In addition, RSF keeps a yearly count of journalists killed on the job.

Organization

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Logo before 2020
Head office in Paris

RSF was founded in Montpellier, France, in 1985 by Robert Ménard, Rémy Loury, Jacques Molénat and Émilien Jubineau. It was registered as a non-profit organisation in 1995.<ref name="RSFPresentation"/> Ménard was RSF's first secretary general, succeeded by Template:Interlanguage link. Christophe Deloire was appointed secretary-general in 2012, and remained so until his death in June 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Thibaut Bruttin is the current secretary-general, appointed in November 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

RSF's head office is based in Paris. As of 2018, it has 13 regional and national offices, including Brussels, London, Washington, Berlin, Rio de Janeiro, Taipei and Dakar, and a network of 146 correspondents with 57 salaried staff in Paris and internationally.<ref>RSF Annual Report 2018, p. 10</ref> As of 2016, a board of governors, elected from RSF's members, approves the organisation's policies,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while an International Council has oversight of its activities and approves the budget.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In August 2025, the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation declared RSF an "undesirable organization" in Russia, effectively banning operations within the country.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Initiatives

2025 World Press Freedom Index<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend

World Press Freedom Index

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Journalism Trust Initiative

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RSF launched the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) in 2018 with its partners the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Agence France-Presse (AFP) and the Global Editors Network (GEN).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The indicators focus on transparency, good governance and accountability.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> JTI distinguishes itself from similar initiatives by focusing on the process of journalism rather than content alone. JTI standards have been used to inform standards for policies in Canada and the European Union.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Actions

RSF's defence of journalistic freedom includes international missions, the publication of country reports, training of journalists and public protests.

RSF has published the Munich Charter, an authoritative document which clarifies the "Rights and Obligations" of Journalists. The Charter was initially developed by the German Journalist Association and first published in Munich 1971, and is accepted as authoritative within the profession. It was later adopted by most journalists' unions in Europe.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Primary source inline

During 2017, some global advocacy and practical interventions included: opening a centre for women journalists in Afghanistan, a creative protest with street-artist C215 in Strasbourg for Turkish journalists in detention, turning off the Eiffel Tower lights in tribute to murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Kashoggi and providing training to journalists and bloggers in Syria.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Primary source inline

In July 2018, RSF sent a mission to Saudi Arabia to call for the release of 30 journalists.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The organisation publishes a gallery of Predators of Press Freedom, highlighting the most egregious international violators of press freedom.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It also has maintained an online Press Freedom Barometer, monitoring the number of journalists, media workers and citizen journalists killed or imprisoned.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its programme Operation Collateral Freedom, launched in 2014, provides alternative access to censored websites by creating mirror sites: 22 sites have been unblocked in 12 countries, including Iran, China, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> RSF offers grants to journalists at risk and supports media workers in need of refuge and protection.

To mark World Day Against Cyber Censorship on 12 March 2020, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) unveiled a list of 20 Digital Predators of Press Freedom and announced that it is unblocking access to a total 21 websites in the sixth year of its Operation Collateral Freedom.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 21 April 2020, the RSF based in Paris said that the pandemic had amplified and highlighted many crises and over shadowed freedom of the press. The high representative of the EU, Josep Borrell, stated that the pandemic should not be used to justify the limitation of democratic and civil freedoms and that the rule of law and international commitments should be respected. He said freedom of speech and access to information should not be limited and that measures taken against the pandemic should not be used to restrict human rights advocates, reporters, media staff and institutions of civil societies.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":82">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

Cumhuriyet's former editor-in-chief Can Dündar receiving the 2015 RSF Prize. Shortly thereafter, he was arrested.

On 22 December 2023, RSF filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court over the killing of seven Palestinian journalists, including Samer Abu Daqqa.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In March 2025 the release of four journalists were named by RWB as one of that year's priority campaign. They were Frenchie Mae Cumpio of the Philippines, Sandra Muhoza of Burundi, Sevinj Vagifgizi of Azerbaijan and Phạm Đoan Trang of Vietnam.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Prizes

Press Freedom Prize

RSF's annual Press Freedom Prize, created in 1992, honours courageous and independent journalists who have faced threats or imprisonment for their work and who have challenged the abuse of power.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> TV5Monde and Le Monde have previously been partners in the prize.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

RWB 2011 Netizen Prize

In 2018, RSF launched new categories for the Press Freedom Prize: courage, independence and impact.Template:Citation needed

Winners:

Netizen Prize

A Netizen Prize was introduced in 2010, in partnership with Google, recognising individuals, including bloggers and cyber-dissidents, who have advanced freedom of information online through investigative reporting or other initiatives.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Press freedom predator list

RSF also lists the world's worst press freedom 'predators' every few years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Publications

Template:See also In addition to its country, regional and thematic reports, RSF publishes a photography book 100 Photos for Press Freedom as a tool for advocacy and a fundraiser.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The organization says it raised nearly a quarter of its funds in 2018 from book sales.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Annual reports

RSF issues a report annually. RSF said that 110 journalists were killed in the course of their work in 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2016, RSF stated that, there were 348 imprisoned journalists and 52 hostages. Nearly two-thirds of imprisoned journalists were in Turkey, China, Syria, Egypt and Iran.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> RSF's 2018 report stated that over 80 journalists were killed, 348 were currently imprisoned, and another 60 were being held hostage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Recognitions

RSF has received multiple international awards honouring its achievements:

See also

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References

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