Libya has fallen to 138th place out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, according to Reporters Without Borders, reflecting continuing pressure on journalists, weak legal protections, and the impact of the country’s long-running political division.
The index gave Libya an overall score of 40.34, compared with 40.42 in 2025, when the country ranked 137th. The 2026 assessment gave Libya 46.46 for the political indicator, 42.46 for the economic indicator, 46.32 for the legal indicator, 28.20 for the social indicator, and 38.25 for the security indicator.
The report links Libya’s media crisis to the political turmoil that has continued since 2011. It said media outlets and journalists often operate in a divided environment shaped by rival authorities, armed groups, and competing centres of power. This has pushed many media organisations towards political partisanship and weakened editorial independence.
On the legal front, Libya continues to lack an effective framework regulating the press and protecting the right to access information. Journalists also face old legal provisions that can impose prison sentences in publication cases, while newer digital restrictions have increased pressure on online expression and encouraged self-censorship.
Economic pressure has further weakened Libya’s media sector. Many outlets depend on advertising and financial ties linked to business figures close to political actors, creating a blurred relationship between money, politics, and media. This has undermined the financial independence of news organisations and left many journalists exposed to poor working conditions and arbitrary dismissal.
Security remains one of the most serious challenges for Libyan journalists. Reporters continue to face threats, attacks, intimidation, and legal pursuit, often with little accountability for those responsible. Armed groups in different areas of influence have also restricted journalistic work, reducing the space for independent reporting.
The difficult media environment has forced many Libyan journalists either to leave the country or work under the protection of parties to the conflict. As a result, independent and balanced reporting remains limited, while public access to reliable information continues to suffer.
