Tokayev included in the list of "predators of press freedom"
The "Reporters Without Borders" organization has published a list of individuals it accuses of pressuring journalists and restricting press freedom. Trump, Putin, and Erdoğan are also included in the list.
Tokayev included in the list of “Predators of Press Freedom”
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has also been included in this list titled “Predators of Press Freedom.”
“What unites them? A hatred of press freedom. Their methods vary, but their goal is the same — to silence independent voices and trample on information freedom. Murders, imprisonments, discredit, propaganda, the use of internet troll armies... All means are used to silence dissenters,” reads the statement released by RSF.
Why was Tokayev included in the list?
RSF placed the President of Kazakhstan in the “Law” category. This category also includes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the group of companies belonging to Indian entrepreneur Gautam Adani. According to the organization, individuals and entities in this category hinder the work of the press by initiating groundless lawsuits against journalists and media outlets.
Who else is on the list?
US President Donald Trump was also included in RSF's 2026 list. The organization accused him of attempting to turn American journalism into a tool of political communication. According to RSF, the US ranks 64th in the Press Freedom Index.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, and Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada are also on the list.
Furthermore, RSF accused the Israel Defense Forces, the Chinese Communist Party, and Mexican drug cartels of pressuring journalists.
The organization emphasized that the Israeli government is pursuing a repressive policy against journalists in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Lebanon. RSF described China as the country where the most journalists are imprisoned, while stating that drug cartel violence in Mexico threatens the safety of journalists.
Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and the military government in Burkina Faso were also included in the list.
The category related to economic pressure includes technology companies Alphabet and Meta, while Elon Musk is included in the “Society” category.
What does the RSF list mean?
The “Predators of Press Freedom” list is an anti-ranking compiled by RSF, with the organization stating that it does not claim absolute objectivity.
Unlike RSF’s World Press Freedom Index, this list aims to highlight specific individuals and organizations considered responsible for the deterioration of press freedom.
According to the organization, pressure on journalists can be exerted through laws, threats, violence, internet manipulations, or economic means. RSF accuses all those included in the list of striving to obstruct the work of journalists and limit citizens' right to receive independent information.