Overview
- The United States fell to a record-low score of 73, with the report citing detentions of non‑citizens over online statements and deportation efforts tied to Israel-related content that have prompted legal challenges.
- Germany dropped three points to 74, reflecting increased self-censorship and strict enforcement of hate-speech and defamation laws, including a suspended sentence for a far-right website editor over a manipulated post.
- Kenya registered a steep decline after a roughly seven-hour nationwide shutdown during tax protests, with Venezuela and Georgia also moving downward.
- Bangladesh recorded an improvement after a government change eased restrictions, while Serbia was downgraded to “partly free” and Nicaragua to “not free.”
- The report describes sweeping censorship in Pakistan rooted in a 2016 law and expanded website blocking, and it notes Freedom House’s resource strain following earlier U.S. funding cuts.