India Ranks 140th In World Press Freedom Index

"There was lack of interest in rendering justice in Pakistan where the government seems powerless against not only the Taliban, Jihadis and other armed groups but also the military apparatus., which international observers describe as a 'state within the state'," it said.

The 2014 index underscores the negative correlation between freedom of information and conflicts, both open conflicts and undeclared ones, the report said.

The Paris-based media rights watchdog said, the countries that "pride themselves on being democracies and respecting the rule of law have not set an example, far from it."

"This has been the case in the U.S. (46th), which fell 13 places, one of the most significant declines, amid increased efforts to track down whistleblowers and the sources of leaks," the report said.

"In the north of Sri Lanka (165th), the army reigns supreme, tolerating no challenge to the official vision of the pacification process in Tamil separatism's former strongholds," it said.

Syria remained especially deadly for journalists last year, with RSF reporting nearly 130 media professionals killed in the country since its conflict began in March 2011.

Also Read:
10 Corporate Honchos Who Are Utilizing Their Money To Help The World
Revealed! 10 Most Racist Countries In The World