Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has released a list of 34 leaders and influential figures labeled as “predators of press freedom”, including Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of Georgia’s ruling party. The report marks the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, as cited by Factor.am via OC Media.
“Their methods differ, but their objectives align: to silence independent voices and suppress the right to news and information. Murder, imprisonment, defamation, propaganda, troll armies — all serve as tools to impose silence,” RSF stated.
Other figures on the list include Vladimir Putin (Russia), Alexander Lukashenko (Belarus), Ali Khamenei (Iran), Viktor Orbán (Hungary), the Israeli army, Elon Musk, and others.
Aliyev was included for repressing Azerbaijan’s media landscape, with RSF describing the country under his rule as a “media desert.” The report highlights the ongoing persecution of journalists, including 26 detained reporters and the prosecution of staff from independent outlet Abzas Media, such as director Ulvi Hasanli and editor-in-chief Sevinj Vagifgizi.
Following the crackdown on Abzas Media, Azerbaijani authorities reportedly escalated pressure on other outlets, including Meydan TV, Toplum TV, and Kanal 13.
In RSF’s 2025 Press Freedom Index, Azerbaijan ranked 167th out of 180 countries.
Ivanishvili, meanwhile, is named as responsible for economic pressure on Georgian media. Despite his formal retreat from politics, RSF notes his continued influence over domestic affairs.
“His business empire secures decisive influence, as several private TV stations, including Imedi and Rustavi 2, broadcast content favoring his Georgian Dream party,” RSF wrote.
The report also notes a decline in media pluralism in Georgia, with incidents of defamation, harassment, and violence against journalists without consequences. It cites the sentencing of media manager Mzia Amaghlobeli to two years in prison and accuses authorities of undermining EU integration by restricting press freedom.
In RSF’s 2025 index, Georgia ranked 114th.
