ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey were rated in the bottom 14-percent of countries world-wide for press freedom in 2019, according to findings released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Norway, Finland and Sweden topped Thursday's list, while Turkmenistan, North Korea, and Eritrea have the least amount of press freedom of the 180 countries.
Iraq ranked 156th, a four-spot improvement from last year.
"Murders of journalists go unpunished and, if investigations are opened, they produce no result, according to the families of the victims," the report stated.
With the declared end of the conflict with the Islamic State (ISIS) in December 2018, fewer journalists report in active conflict zones; however, RSF claimed journalists are merely "political tools."
"Journalists have to work in a very politicized environment in which the media are regarded above all as political tools," it stated.
Investigative journalism was an area of concern for RSF.
"Iraq still has no law on access to state-held information. Investigative reporting on corruption or embezzlement exposes journalists to serious threats," it added.
Journalists being barred from covering events was the most common problem last year, according to the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate.
Sources are often hesitant to provide identifying details out of fear of retribution, leading skeptics to question reliable and well-sourced reporting.
Iran 'most repressive for journalists for past 40 years'
Iran dropped six spots from the year before to 170 in 2019.
"The Islamic regime exercises extensive control over the media landscape and its harassment of independent journalists, citizen-journalists and independent media has not let up," RSF stated.
While most media outlets in Iran are affiliated with state entities, RSF notes that despite harassment "independent journalists, citizen-journalists and independent media" continue to try to report.
Fearful of being labeled journalists, many turn to being "activists." Iran sentenced Kurdish political activist Mokhtar Zarei to three more years in prison for publishing a video in the aftermath of the execution of three other activists that called on Kurds in the country to exercise their right of civil disobedience.
Even human rights lawyers like Nasrin Sotoudeh have been targeted by the judiciary. She received a 38-year prison sentence in March in what Amnesty International called a "Kafkaesque trial.” She faced vague charges of “inciting corruption and prostitution,” “openly committing a sinful act by … appearing in public without a hijab” and “disrupting public order.”
"The media that are still resisting increasingly lack the resources to report freely and independently. As a result, it is the citizen-journalists on social networks who are now at the centre of the battles for freely-reported news and information and for political change in Iran.
Court cases of at least 860 journalists targeted by the Iranian regime from 1979-2009 were leaked in February. RSF referred the leaked information to the UN high commissioner for human rights.
A world map ranks countries by their level of press freedom in 2019. Compiled by RSF and Jean-Michel Cornu & Sebastien Casteran of AFP
The rule of law is 'fading' in Turkey
According to the RSF report, the state of law in Turkey is fading as journalists are held for often long periods pre-trial.
"Detained journalists and closed media outlets are denied any effective legal recourse. The rule of law is a fading memory in the 'New Turkey' of paramount presidential authority," read the report.
Turkey ranked 157 in 2018 and stayed the same in 2019.
The country ranked 149 in 2015 — one year before the failed coup attempt which was followed by a nation-wide crackdown on the followers of the former ally of the government, Fethullah Gulen, who was blamed for the coup.
Since 2016, media have been accused of siding with the government and little criticism is seen from media against the government, fearing potential prosecution.
The giant Dogan Holding — previously purchased by a businessman with close relations with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — bought several independent media outlets including Hurriyet and CNN Turk.
"Censorship of websites and online social media has reached unprecedented levels and the authorities are now trying to bring online video services under control," added the RSF report.
The report also said that some media are financially dependent on public contracts in industrial sectors, so they do not want spoil their relations with the ruling parties.
"Many media owners depend on the government for public contracts in other industrial sectors where they are active, like energy, transport and construction, and thus, refrain from criticism."
Seven of the ten most important owners of Turkish television channels are "politically affiliated."
‘Unbearable environment’ in Syria
Syria has been ranked 177 from 2014 to 2018 — the period where the country did not spend a day without conflicts between different armed groups.
However it was ranked 174 for 2019 in the report.
But this does not make the divided country a safe place. It is rather described as a place with "unbearable environment.”
"The risk of arrest, abduction or death make journalism extremely dangerous and difficult in Syria,” stated RSF.
It added "Since the start of 2018, dozens of journalists have had to flee the advance of government troops, especially into the southwestern Ghouta and Deraa regions, because they feared arrest."
The RSF report says that the Syrian regime created "cybercrime courts" in March 2018, giving itself "a new tool for cracking down on the internet.
Ten journalists were killed in 2018 including three of them being killed in "unclear circumstances that were never solved."
It accused pro-government, pro-Turkish, -Turkmen, -Kurdish, and radical Islamist groups of intimidating journalists.
Because of the ongoing Syrian civil war and ISIS remnants continuing to be a threat, Damascus and Rojava authorities require preauthorization for journalists credentialed by outlets.
Much of the media coverage in Turkish-backed, rebel held areas is biased and sourcing remains a hurdle even for local editors.