Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has warmly welcomed the country’s upward movement in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, describing it as a significant milestone in the nation’s ongoing efforts to strengthen media freedom and professionalism.
Sierra Leone climbed eight places to rank 56th out of 180 countries, up from 64th in 2024, according to the report released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Friday, May 2, 2025. The index assesses the level of freedom available to journalists across the globe.
Reacting to the news, SLAJ President Ahmed Sahid Nasralla called the development “both encouraging and validating,” noting that it reflects tangible progress made in recent years to promote a freer, safer, and more professional media environment.
“This progress is not accidental. It is the result of years of consistent advocacy, engagement, and reform. From the repeal of the criminal and seditious libel laws in 2020 to ongoing initiatives around media capacity-building, better regulation, and safety, SLAJ has remained committed to ensuring that press freedom is not just an abstract ideal, but a lived and protected right in Sierra Leone,” Nasralla said.
He further highlighted that the ranking improvement is particularly significant given the global context of rising misinformation, political polarization, and shrinking civic spaces. According to him, Sierra Leone’s performance demonstrates the country’s increasing commitment to creating a more enabling environment for independent journalism.
“As my tenure ends, I view this as a shared achievement—one that belongs to our members, civil society partners, media support organisations, and the Government of Sierra Leone. It shows what is possible when we work together to build a freer, safer, and more professional media sector,” he added.
While celebrating the achievement, SLAJ also issued a word of caution, emphasizing that the journey toward full press freedom is far from over. Nasralla pointed to persistent challenges, including journalist safety and welfare, the financial sustainability of independent media, and the growing threat of disinformation.
“Let this ranking not be a finish line, but a fresh motivation to do more. Our ambition must go beyond numbers—we want a media landscape that empowers citizens, holds power to account, and upholds the highest standards of journalism,” Nasralla urged.
SLAJ reaffirmed its commitment to working with all stakeholders to consolidate these gains and push Sierra Leone even higher in the global press freedom rankings in the years ahead.
The 2025 index places Sierra Leone among the top-performing countries in West Africa in terms of press freedom, signaling progress that observers hope will inspire continued reforms and greater protection for journalists across the region.
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