Press freedom in the Netherlands eroded by threats to journalists
Rapport image: Bank Phrom on Unsplash
On World Press Freedom Day (3 May) the 16th edition of the Freedom of the Press Monitor was published, on press freedom in the Netherlands. While the country ranks third on the World Press Freedom Index, journalists’ safety remains a concern.
Safety of Dutch journalists worse than in other countries
Press freedom is a cornerstone of an open society. Journalists must be able to carry out their work without fear, pressure, or obstruction. Yet, even in the Netherlands this freedom is far from guaranteed. Compared to the rest of the world, the Netherlands scores well in terms of press freedom. The 2025 Freedom of the Press Monitor (Persvrijheidsmonitor), however, states that the country is not part of the leading group of countries when it comes to safety, ranking only 27th. In 2025, reports of threats or violence against journalists actually increased.
Incidents and legal issues
It is clear that the safety of journalists remains a major problem. This is confirmed by incidents at demonstrations and sports events, breaches of source protection, and reports of threats, intimidation and violence. The report also devotes attention to court rulings and the liability of journalists for specific publications.
Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP cases) are becoming an increasing problem, where litigation is used to influence critical publications and put pressure on journalists and civic organisations. The EU adopted an anti-SLAPP directive in 2024. Yet, experts in the Netherlands believe that the proposed legislation here still offers insufficient protection and does not adequately address national SLAPP cases.
Political and economic pressure
Besides the issues mentioned above, press freedom in 2025 came under pressure as a result of developments in politics as well as the media sector. Politicians once again voiced sharp criticism of the media, including questioning the independence of journalists. At the same time, media concentration, budget cuts to public broadcasting, and the growing power of big tech companies threaten diversity and independence of the news that reaches us.
European legislation as a counterbalance
One positive development, however, is the EU’s Media Freedom Act, which is effective now. This legislation aims to better protect journalists and the media from political interference and to reinforce the independence of public media outlets.
Global picture remains a major concern
The top 15 countries listed in the World Press Freedom Index are mainly West European countries. The situation is much worse in other parts of the world. In 2025, 86 journalists were killed in Palestine, 59 journalists were imprisoned in Russia, 10 journalists were kidnapped in Yemen, and 6 journalists went missing in Congo.
Background and authors
The Freedom of the Press Monitor is an annual report commissioned by the Freedom of the Press Fund and co-financed by the Coornhert Stichting. The authors are Tarlach McGonagle, Professor of Media Law in the Information Society in Leiden and Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam, and Otto Volgenant, a lawyer at Boekx Advocaten (Media, IP & Privacy).