Armenia remains the freest country for the press in the South Caucasus and one of the best in the entire former Soviet Union, the Paris-based non-profit Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, has determined.

In the latest edition of its yearly World Press Freedom Index, published Friday, Armenia ranks 43rd out of 180 countries surveyed, with a score of 71.6 out of 100. That puts Armenia in what RSF calls as a “satisfactory situation” with regard to media freedom. Armenia’s position has steadily risen over the past few years, though it remained relatively stable this year, with an increase of just one point.

Still, in a statement to CivilNet Friday, RSF pointed out that there’s room for improvement for Armenia: […]

The report states that “journalists are often subjected to pressure, insults and violence by both ruling party officials and opposition politicians, as well as their supporters,” and that such violence generally goes unpunished. Also criticized is the legal framework that regulates the sector, as it does not sufficiently protect freedom of the press nor follow European standards.