Mongolia advanced by 17 positions in the Press Freedom Index, ranking 85th globally.

According to the 2026 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Mongolia falls into the category of a “moderate” or “problematic” media environment compared to the global average. Although the country demonstrated improvement compared to 2025, it has not yet recovered from the decline in press freedom recorded since 2020. Five years ago, Mongolia ranked 75th among more than 200 countries in terms of press freedom performance.

The report notes that Mongolia’s media landscape continues to face challenges, stating that “economic dependence of media organizations has increased, while political influence and ownership concentration remain risks to editorial independence. Journalists’ safety is not threatened by direct violence, but limitations through lawsuits, pressure, and indirect influence have been observed.”

RSF further emphasized that Mongolia’s main challenges lie in its legal environment and economic sustainability, which remain key factors weakening media independence. As a result, Mongolia is classified within the globally “intermediate but unstable” level of press freedom. The report concludes that further progress requires stronger protection of editorial independence from political and business influence.

Meanwhile, RSF reported that the 2026 World Press Freedom Index has reached a historic low worldwide. More than half of the approximately 180 countries and territories assessed fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories, marking the worst global performance in the past 25 years. According to the report, the global average score has never been lower, and the share of the world’s population living in countries with a “good” level of press freedom has declined from 20 percent in 2002 to less than 1 percent today, reflecting a significant global contraction of the right to access information.

Published Date:2026-05-01