Violations of press freedom are less and less the exclusive prerogative of authoritarian regimes and dictatorships, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
The France-based NGO has today released its 2017 World Press Freedom Index, detailing that in democracies media freedom is proving to be increasingly fragile. “In sickening statements, draconian laws, conflicts of interest, and even the use of physical violence, democratic governments are trampling on a freedom that should, in principle, be one of their leading performance indicators,” the organization says.
See https://international.thenewslens.com/article/66930 
A Dark Year for Press Freedom – The News Lens International Edition
The underlying story in Asia is that most countries in the region are in a ‘difficult situation’ or a ‘very serious situation,’ according to the world’s press freedom watchdog.