25/02/2026
2025 World Press Freedom Index: A Global Downturn and Sri Lanka’s Paradoxical Rise
The global environment for journalism has reached a historic low. In South Asia, the landscape remains volatile, and while Sri Lanka has climbed to 139th place, this statistic masks a deeper legislative crisis.
The most significant development is the introduction of the Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA) to replace the old PTA. While framed as reform, the PSTA retains many draconian features, including vague definitions of terrorism and broad powers of detention that directly threaten investigative journalism.
The Legislative Triple Threat:
🚫 Online Safety Act (OSA): A digital guillotine for online dissent.
🚫 PSTA (New PTA Replacement): Rebranded powers of arbitrary detention.
🚫 ICCPR Act: Weaponized to silence minority and critical voices.
True progress is measured by the presence of legal certainty, not just the absence of physical violence.
